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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,527 per month in Puerto Rico vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,301 per month in Puerto Rico vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,075 per month in Puerto Rico vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Puerto Rico costs about 76% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Puerto Rico sits 14% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.52 €15.07

$1.94 ฿63.5

803.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.2 €50.0

$18.64 ฿609

212.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.62 €9.14

$7.82 ฿255

35.81%

Cappuccino

$2.03 €1.75

$1.95 ฿63.8

4.10%

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

$1.80 €1.55

$0.85 ฿27.77

111.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.91

$0.35 ฿11.58

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 €2.45

$2.13 ฿69.6

33.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 €2.73

$3.73 ฿122

-14.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.71 ฿56.0

-27.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.63 ฿53.2

4.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.14 ฿37.15

27.19%

Eggs

$3.06 €2.63

$1.93 ฿63.1

58.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.70 €7.48

$16.21 ฿530

-46.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.38 €7.21

$3.12 ฿102

168.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.30 €11.44

$10.90 ฿356

22.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 €2.07

$2.75 ฿90.0

-12.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.21 ฿39.52

44.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 €1.38

$1.62 ฿53.0

-0.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 €2.18

$1.59 ฿51.8

59.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.40 ฿45.70

12.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.17 ฿38.17

45.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.28

$0.66 ฿21.60

124.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 €0.59

$0.53 ฿17.22

30.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.03 €4.33

$4.69 ฿153

7.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 €6.86

$18.66 ฿609

-57.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.80 ฿58.8

-11.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 €1.54

$3.23 ฿106

-44.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 €1.42

$0.90 ฿29.26

84.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.10 €29.34

$19.21 ฿628

77.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.50 €3.87

$1.41 ฿45.91

219.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.29 ฿42.12

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.10 €14.71

$7.84 ฿256

118.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 €1.45

$1.27 ฿41.58

33.07%

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

$38.5K €33.1K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

81.00%

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

$30.4K €26.2K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

37.07%

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

$88.7 €76.3

$69.1 ฿2,256

28.48%

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

$21.79 €18.75

$14.08 ฿460

54.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.63 €26.35

$18.00 ฿588

70.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 €40.28

$41.06 ฿1,341

14.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.20 €13.08

$6.96 ฿227

118.39%

Cinema Ticket

$9.96 €8.57

$5.92 ฿193

68.24%

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

$347 €299

$299 ฿9,766

16.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,272 €7,116

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-44.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.7 €72.0

$54.7 ฿1,787

52.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.54 €28.85

$26.77 ฿874

25.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 €74.5

$85.0 ฿2,776

1.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.3 €59.6

$70.6 ฿2,306

-1.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$842 €724

$428 ฿14.0K

96.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 €601

$237 ฿7,752

194.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 €1,153

$801 ฿26.2K

67.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$998 €858

$515 ฿16.8K

93.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,463 €2,979

$1,975 ฿64.5K

75.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,284 €1,965

$1,475 ฿48.2K

54.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

-30.00%

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

Last update for Puerto Rico: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $842 in Puerto Rico versus $428 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 $58.0 in Puerto Rico versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $246 – 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 Rico vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto Rico costs about 76% 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 $2,290 per month in Puerto Rico and $1,300 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 $347 per month in Puerto Rico and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% more in Puerto Rico, 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 $866, than in Puerto Rico at $1,527. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Puerto Rico it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,527 in Puerto Rico. 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 Rico makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.