Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto de Tierra and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto de Tierra and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,291 per month in Puerto de Tierra vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,059 per month in Puerto de Tierra vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,827 per month in Puerto de Tierra vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Puerto de Tierra costs about 36% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Puerto de Tierra and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Puerto de Tierra 6% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.27 $18.27

$2.10 ฿69.4

770.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.4 $83.4

$19.84 ฿656

320.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 $9.29

$5.79 ฿192

60.45%

Cappuccino

$3.73 $3.73

$1.83 ฿60.5

103.83%

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

$1.84 $1.84

$0.78 ฿25.63

135.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 $1.50

$0.31 ฿10.38

383.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.34 ฿77.3

27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 $5.05

$3.70 ฿122

36.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.03 ฿67.1

-10.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$1.60 ฿52.8

130.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.42 ฿46.80

69.72%

Eggs

$7.21 $7.21

$2.18 ฿72.0

230.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.43 $12.43

$15.91 ฿526

-21.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.70 $9.70

$3.07 ฿102

215.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.43 $13.43

$9.87 ฿326

36.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.99 $4.99

$2.63 ฿86.9

89.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.10 ฿36.23

130.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$1.63 ฿53.9

205.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$1.53 ฿50.6

218.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.24 ฿41.16

202.42%

Onion (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$1.13 ฿37.40

260.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.40 $3.40

$0.74 ฿24.41

359.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.50 ฿16.50

232.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.88 $11.88

$4.28 ฿142

177.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.65 $15.65

$17.97 ฿594

-12.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.70 ฿56.2

75.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.90 ฿95.8

35.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.15

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,828

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.23 ฿40.80

98.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.53 ฿17.67

175.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.32 $42.32

$2.40 ฿79.4

1663.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.44 ฿47.60

-22.92%

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

$39.5K $39.5K

$21.2K ฿700.9K

86.17%

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

$28.2K $28.2K

$27.3K ฿903.0K

3.13%

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

$318 $318

$64.9 ฿2,147

389.08%

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

$69.4 $69.4

$13.35 ฿442

419.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.2 $69.2

$20.83 ฿689

232.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,337

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$10.39 $10.39

$6.71 ฿222

54.84%

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

$813 $813

$787 ฿26.0K

3.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K $12.6K

$15.1K ฿500.1K

-16.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 $56.9

$56.2 ฿1,859

1.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.5 $60.5

$24.95 ฿825

142.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$92.7 ฿3,066

19.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$75.1 ฿2,484

54.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,500

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

5.57

17.59%

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

Last update for Puerto de Tierra: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Puerto de Tierra versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 vs $242 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 de Tierra vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto de Tierra costs about 36% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,937 per month in Puerto de Tierra and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Puerto de Tierra and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 70% more in Puerto de Tierra, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Puerto de Tierra at $1,291. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Puerto de Tierra it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,291 in Puerto de Tierra. 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 de Tierra makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.