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 $1,876 per month in Ashburton vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,921 per month in Ashburton vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,965 per month in Ashburton vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ashburton costs about 118% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ashburton sits 40% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.77 NZ$28.72

$1.96 ฿65.9

755.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 NZ$126

$18.35 ฿617

302.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 NZ$16.89

$7.48 ฿252

31.82%

Cappuccino

$3.47 NZ$5.95

$2.02 ฿67.8

71.78%

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

$2.35 NZ$4.02

$0.85 ฿28.52

176.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 NZ$3.38

$0.36 ฿11.97

450.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.10 NZ$12.16

$2.14 ฿71.9

231.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.42 NZ$12.70

$3.59 ฿121

106.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 NZ$3.25

$1.65 ฿55.5

15.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 NZ$3.29

$1.57 ฿52.7

22.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 NZ$2.96

$1.19 ฿40.05

45.38%

Eggs

$6.49 NZ$11.11

$1.94 ฿65.1

234.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 NZ$14.06

$16.19 ฿545

-49.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 NZ$15.62

$2.99 ฿101

205.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.72 NZ$21.77

$10.94 ฿368

16.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 NZ$5.44

$2.71 ฿91.2

17.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 NZ$3.61

$1.17 ฿39.27

80.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 NZ$5.18

$1.69 ฿56.8

79.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.23 NZ$5.53

$1.60 ฿54.0

101.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.54

$1.38 ฿46.56

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 NZ$3.84

$1.20 ฿40.47

87.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.05 NZ$5.22

$0.67 ฿22.51

355.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 NZ$2.40

$0.56 ฿18.74

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.39 NZ$41.77

$4.64 ฿156

425.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.51 NZ$14.56

$17.62 ฿593

-51.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.76 NZ$6.44

$1.86 ฿62.6

102.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 NZ$8.19

$3.30 ฿111

44.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 NZ$3.51

$0.88 ฿29.70

132.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.4 NZ$112

$19.34 ฿651

237.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 NZ$4.78

$1.36 ฿45.92

105.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 NZ$2.90

$1.34 ฿45.00

26.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.00 NZ$51.4

$8.21 ฿276

265.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 NZ$2.94

$1.22 ฿41.20

40.98%

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

$27.6K NZ$47.2K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

29.04%

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

$20.0K NZ$34.3K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

-11.13%

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

$117 NZ$201

$70.7 ฿2,378

66.00%

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

$31.27 NZ$53.5

$14.04 ฿472

122.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 NZ$92.7

$17.49 ฿589

209.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.42 NZ$62.4

$42.15 ฿1,418

-13.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.21 NZ$20.91

$6.88 ฿231

77.47%

Cinema Ticket

$10.90 NZ$18.67

$5.92 ฿199

84.12%

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

$639 NZ$1,094

$309 ฿10.4K

107.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,344 NZ$16.0K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-37.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.19 NZ$51.7

$55.8 ฿1,876

-45.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.44 NZ$72.7

$26.11 ฿879

62.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 NZ$158

$83.0 ฿2,793

11.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 NZ$259

$70.5 ฿2,371

115.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$976 NZ$1,670

$432 ฿14.5K

125.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$778 NZ$1,331

$239 ฿8,040

225.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 NZ$2,734

$822 ฿27.7K

94.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,412 NZ$2,417

$512 ฿17.2K

175.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,139 NZ$7,088

$1,915 ฿64.4K

116.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,773 NZ$6,461

$1,467 ฿49.4K

157.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $976 in Ashburton versus $432 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $321 vs $243 – 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: $1,876 in Ashburton, $861 in Chiang Mai – roughly 118% apart. Ashburton costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,814 per month in Ashburton and $1,292 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 32% 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 $18.00 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 $861, than in Ashburton at $1,876. 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 $861 in Chiang Mai to $1,876 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.