Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashburton and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashburton and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,836 per month in Ashburton vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,917 per month in Ashburton vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,997 per month in Ashburton vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ashburton costs about 112% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ashburton sits 37% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 NZ$28.83

$1.94 ฿63.5

780.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.5 NZ$124

$18.64 ฿609

294.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.88 NZ$16.68

$7.82 ฿255

26.34%

Cappuccino

$3.46 NZ$5.84

$1.95 ฿63.8

77.44%

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

$2.31 NZ$3.90

$0.85 ฿27.77

171.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 NZ$3.32

$0.35 ฿11.58

462.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.07 NZ$11.93

$2.13 ฿69.6

231.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.09 NZ$11.96

$3.73 ฿122

90.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 NZ$3.10

$1.71 ฿56.0

7.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 NZ$3.28

$1.63 ฿53.2

19.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 NZ$2.82

$1.14 ฿37.15

46.49%

Eggs

$6.31 NZ$10.66

$1.93 ฿63.1

226.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.22 NZ$13.88

$16.21 ฿530

-49.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 NZ$16.04

$3.12 ฿102

204.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.12 NZ$22.14

$10.90 ฿356

20.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 NZ$5.08

$2.75 ฿90.0

9.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 NZ$3.60

$1.21 ฿39.52

76.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.05

$1.62 ฿53.0

84.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 NZ$5.76

$1.59 ฿51.8

114.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 NZ$3.56

$1.40 ฿45.70

50.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 NZ$3.73

$1.17 ฿38.17

88.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.90 NZ$4.90

$0.66 ฿21.60

339.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 NZ$2.36

$0.53 ฿17.22

164.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.06 NZ$40.63

$4.69 ฿153

413.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.70 NZ$14.68

$18.66 ฿609

-53.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.66 NZ$6.19

$1.80 ฿58.8

103.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 NZ$8.39

$3.23 ฿106

53.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.15 NZ$3.62

$0.90 ฿29.26

138.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 NZ$109

$19.21 ฿628

236.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 NZ$4.54

$1.41 ฿45.91

90.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 NZ$2.77

$1.29 ฿42.12

27.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.40 NZ$51.3

$7.84 ฿256

287.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.89

$1.27 ฿41.58

34.65%

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

$27.4K NZ$46.3K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

28.78%

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

$20.0K NZ$33.8K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-9.85%

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

$117 NZ$197

$69.1 ฿2,256

69.05%

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

$32.17 NZ$54.3

$14.08 ฿460

128.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 NZ$91.3

$18.00 ฿588

200.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.68 NZ$61.9

$41.06 ฿1,341

-10.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 NZ$20.31

$6.96 ฿227

72.84%

Cinema Ticket

$11.20 NZ$18.91

$5.92 ฿193

89.19%

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

$645 NZ$1,089

$299 ฿9,766

115.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,322 NZ$15.7K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-37.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.53 NZ$51.6

$54.7 ฿1,787

-44.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.82 NZ$72.3

$26.77 ฿874

59.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 NZ$158

$85.0 ฿2,776

9.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 NZ$257

$70.6 ฿2,306

116.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 NZ$1,658

$428 ฿14.0K

129.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 NZ$1,306

$237 ฿7,752

226.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 NZ$2,666

$801 ฿26.2K

97.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 NZ$2,363

$515 ฿16.8K

171.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,791 NZ$8,088

$1,975 ฿64.5K

142.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,958 NZ$6,682

$1,475 ฿48.2K

168.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

34.80%

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

Last update for Ashburton: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $982 in Ashburton 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 $74.0 in Ashburton versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $323 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

Ashburton vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,836 in Ashburton, $866 in Chiang Mai – roughly 112% apart. Ashburton costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,754 per month in Ashburton 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.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Ashburton, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Ashburton and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Ashburton at $1,836. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ashburton it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $866 in Chiang Mai to $1,836 in Ashburton. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Ashburton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.