Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Ayora and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Ayora and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $917 per month in Puerto Ayora vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,415 per month in Puerto Ayora vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Puerto Ayora vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Puerto Ayora costs about 8% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Puerto Ayora and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Puerto Ayora 31% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 $4.43

$1.96 ฿64.0

126.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.11 $40.11

$18.81 ฿615

113.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 $7.11

$7.92 ฿259

-10.23%

Cappuccino

$2.84 $2.84

$1.91 ฿62.6

48.69%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 $1.37

$0.84 ฿27.41

63.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.35 ฿11.51

182.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.21 ฿72.1

25.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.80 ฿124

8.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.64 ฿53.5

-32.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.62 ฿53.1

4.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.18 ฿38.62

38.98%

Eggs

$3.74 $3.74

$2.01 ฿65.8

86.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$15.89 ฿520

-77.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$3.01 ฿98.5

87.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.14 $10.14

$10.77 ฿352

-5.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.61 ฿85.5

14.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.22 ฿39.88

-5.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.70 ฿55.7

-15.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.58 ฿51.5

-33.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.32 ฿43.14

-3.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.17 ฿38.23

50.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 $0.70

$0.67 ฿21.98

4.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.56 ฿18.32

89.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.87 $5.87

$4.53 ฿148

29.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.90 $8.90

$18.20 ฿595

-51.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.83 ฿60.0

-15.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.23 ฿106

-14.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

$0.89 ฿29.00

-59.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.18 $24.18

$19.38 ฿634

24.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.35 ฿44.20

-5.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.35 ฿44.05

8.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.01 $10.01

$8.25 ฿270

21.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 $0.64

$1.27 ฿41.64

-49.61%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$20.1K $20.1K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

-4.80%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$28.3K $28.3K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

25.88%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$36.79 $36.79

$70.2 ฿2,294

-47.56%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.88 $13.88

$13.77 ฿450

0.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.85 $30.85

$17.60 ฿575

75.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.49 $30.49

$41.57 ฿1,360

-26.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.86 $14.86

$6.60 ฿216

125.15%

Cinema Ticket

$7.05 $7.05

$5.78 ฿189

21.97%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$254 $254

$306 ฿10.0K

-16.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,589 $5,589

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-62.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 $55.4

$54.4 ฿1,778

1.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.80 $43.80

$26.14 ฿855

67.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 $96.0

$84.5 ฿2,764

13.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.9 $64.9

$69.4 ฿2,270

-6.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$342 $342

$424 ฿13.9K

-19.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 $324

$238 ฿7,788

35.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 $619

$825 ฿27.0K

-25.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 $498

$515 ฿16.8K

-3.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,356 $1,356

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-33.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$869 $869

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-42.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$795 $795

$635 ฿20.8K

25.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.6

112.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Puerto Ayora: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $342 in Puerto Ayora versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 25% higher in Puerto Ayora, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Puerto Ayora versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $205 in Puerto Ayora vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Puerto Ayora wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Puerto Ayora vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto Ayora costs about 8% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,376 per month in Puerto Ayora and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $254 per month in Puerto Ayora and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Puerto Ayora – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $917 in Puerto Ayora and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $917 in Puerto Ayora. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Puerto Ayora makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.