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 $1,350 per month in Puerto de Tierra vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,993 per month in Puerto de Tierra vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,636 per month in Puerto de Tierra vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Puerto de Tierra costs about 60% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Puerto de Tierra sits 1% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.37 $19.37

$1.95 ฿62.8

893.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.4 $82.4

$18.43 ฿594

347.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 $9.52

$7.50 ฿241

26.93%

Cappuccino

$3.69 $3.69

$1.93 ฿62.3

91.19%

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

$1.75 $1.75

$0.78 ฿25.08

124.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 $1.43

$0.32 ฿10.42

346.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.15 ฿69.2

42.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 $4.56

$3.71 ฿120

22.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.71 ฿55.2

4.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.56 ฿50.3

-24.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.18 ฿38.06

83.05%

Eggs

$1.30 $1.30

$1.98 ฿63.9

-34.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.66 $8.66

$16.04 ฿517

-46.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.70 $8.70

$3.17 ฿102

174.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.49 $12.49

$10.94 ฿353

14.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.63 ฿84.7

-4.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.17 ฿37.61

104.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.65 ฿53.0

44.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.54 ฿49.51

59.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.38 ฿44.34

80.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.17 ฿37.54

108.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 $1.08

$0.66 ฿21.25

63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$0.51 ฿16.55

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.93 $11.93

$4.52 ฿146

163.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.39 $15.39

$18.32 ฿590

-15.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.80 ฿57.9

-10.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 $1.13

$3.18 ฿102

-64.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.31 ฿42.15

15.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.15 $15.15

$8.09 ฿261

87.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.28 ฿41.08

-23.44%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

69.64%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

23.70%

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

$485 $485

$69.2 ฿2,230

601.14%

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

$80.4 $80.4

$13.97 ฿450

475.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.8 $72.8

$17.95 ฿578

305.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$12.19 $12.19

$5.92 ฿191

105.91%

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

$462 $462

$299 ฿9,640

54.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K $10.5K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-29.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.37 $45.37

$56.2 ฿1,810

-19.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 $55.7

$26.94 ฿868

106.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 $92.3

$84.9 ฿2,735

8.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$71.8 ฿2,314

45.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,770 $1,770

$798 ฿25.7K

121.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

14.20%

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

Last update for Puerto de Tierra: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $0 in Puerto de Tierra versus $435 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82 in Puerto de Tierra versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $244 – 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 60% 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 $2,025 per month in Puerto de Tierra and $1,267 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 $82.0 in Puerto de Tierra and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,350 in Puerto de Tierra and $845 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $1,350 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.