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 $1,929 per month in Ashburton vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,945 per month in Ashburton vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,962 per month in Ashburton vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ashburton costs about 107% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ashburton sits 41% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.25 NZ$24.87

$2.08 ฿69.2

585.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 NZ$123

$19.61 ฿652

259.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 NZ$16.59

$5.67 ฿189

67.72%

Cappuccino

$3.40 NZ$5.93

$1.81 ฿60.0

87.85%

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

$2.38 NZ$4.16

$0.77 ฿25.55

209.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 NZ$3.33

$0.35 ฿11.48

445.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 NZ$12.26

$2.21 ฿73.6

218.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 NZ$11.84

$3.79 ฿126

78.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 NZ$3.11

$2.05 ฿68.1

-13.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 NZ$3.37

$1.51 ฿50.4

27.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 NZ$2.61

$1.40 ฿46.51

7.14%

Eggs

$6.13 NZ$10.71

$2.26 ฿75.1

171.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.72 NZ$13.47

$16.19 ฿538

-52.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.74 NZ$17.00

$2.90 ฿96.3

235.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 NZ$24.51

$9.42 ฿313

49.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 NZ$4.51

$2.68 ฿89.1

-3.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.41

$1.09 ฿36.23

78.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 NZ$4.74

$1.62 ฿53.8

67.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.25 NZ$5.67

$1.46 ฿48.55

122.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 NZ$2.80

$1.28 ฿42.48

25.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 NZ$2.65

$1.06 ฿35.17

43.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 NZ$3.90

$0.72 ฿23.85

209.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 NZ$2.38

$0.53 ฿17.49

156.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.71 NZ$43.14

$4.23 ฿141

484.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.89 NZ$15.52

$18.29 ฿608

-51.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NZ$6.14

$1.63 ฿54.2

115.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 NZ$7.76

$2.90 ฿96.5

53.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 NZ$2.61

$0.88 ฿29.20

69.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.2 NZ$136

$53.8 ฿1,788

45.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 NZ$4.51

$1.17 ฿38.99

120.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 NZ$2.98

$0.58 ฿19.22

194.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 NZ$51.2

$2.39 ฿79.3

1127.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 NZ$3.37

$1.45 ฿48.22

33.10%

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

$26.4K NZ$46.1K

$21.0K ฿698.6K

25.72%

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

$25.0K NZ$43.6K

$26.4K ฿878.6K

-5.46%

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

$166 NZ$290

$63.7 ฿2,116

160.69%

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

$23.82 NZ$41.58

$12.89 ฿429

84.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.09 NZ$80.5

$20.52 ฿682

124.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.79 NZ$66.0

$39.02 ฿1,297

-3.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$11.49 NZ$20.05

$6.58 ฿219

74.62%

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

$683 NZ$1,192

$784 ฿26.1K

-12.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.5K NZ$39.3K

$14.7K ฿487.9K

53.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 NZ$104

$55.1 ฿1,833

8.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.64 NZ$70.9

$24.74 ฿823

64.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 NZ$182

$94.1 ฿3,130

10.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 NZ$218

$74.0 ฿2,459

69.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,002 NZ$1,748

$490 ฿16.3K

104.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$942 NZ$1,644

$288 ฿9,582

226.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,494 NZ$2,608

$891 ฿29.6K

67.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,527 NZ$2,665

$521 ฿17.3K

192.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,215 NZ$9,103

$1,974 ฿65.6K

164.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,892 NZ$6,795

$1,444 ฿48.0K

169.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.91

5.57

6.10%

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

Last update for Ashburton: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,002 in Ashburton versus $490 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 $71.0 in Ashburton versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $311 vs $241 – 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: $1,929 in Ashburton, $932 in Chiang Mai – roughly 107% apart. Ashburton costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,894 per month in Ashburton and $1,398 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 29% 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 $71.0 in Ashburton and $20.00 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 $932, than in Ashburton at $1,929. 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 $932 in Chiang Mai to $1,929 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.