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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $851 per month in Avarua vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,380 per month in Avarua vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,910 per month in Avarua vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Avarua and Chiang Mai have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Avarua and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Avarua 36% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.3 NZ$106

$18.71 ฿626

227.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.99 NZ$15.50

$7.86 ฿263

14.38%

Cappuccino

$3.69 NZ$6.35

$2.03 ฿67.9

81.77%

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

$2.64 NZ$4.56

$0.80 ฿26.71

230.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 NZ$4.24

$0.35 ฿11.71

602.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 NZ$10.30

$2.14 ฿71.7

179.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 NZ$8.52

$3.67 ฿123

34.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 NZ$3.14

$1.73 ฿57.8

5.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 NZ$5.98

$1.57 ฿52.5

121.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.16

$1.20 ฿40.10

52.50%

Eggs

$5.23 NZ$9.01

$1.97 ฿66.0

165.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.15 NZ$20.94

$16.23 ฿543

-25.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.20 NZ$14.13

$3.06 ฿102

167.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.03 NZ$19.00

$10.80 ฿361

2.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.15

$2.77 ฿92.6

7.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 NZ$3.14

$1.17 ฿39.05

55.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.52 NZ$6.07

$1.71 ฿57.1

105.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.79 NZ$16.87

$1.59 ฿53.3

515.72%

Potato (1kg)

$3.05 NZ$5.26

$1.39 ฿46.63

119.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 NZ$4.12

$1.16 ฿38.67

106.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 NZ$4.10

$0.66 ฿22.11

260.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 NZ$5.07

$0.52 ฿17.35

465.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 NZ$24.43

$17.78 ฿595

-20.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 NZ$7.84

$3.34 ฿112

36.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

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

$119 NZ$205

$71.3 ฿2,386

66.52%

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

$14.01 ฿469

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

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

$308 ฿10.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.8 NZ$119

$55.8 ฿1,865

23.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 NZ$126

$71.0 ฿2,375

3.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 NZ$272

$423 ฿14.2K

-62.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 NZ$269

$242 ฿8,110

-35.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 NZ$299

$797 ฿26.7K

-78.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 NZ$389

$507 ฿17.0K

-55.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,046 NZ$8,695

$1,918 ฿64.2K

163.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$725 NZ$1,250

$1,464 ฿49.0K

-50.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Avarua: July 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $158 in Avarua versus $423 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 $61.0 in Avarua versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $377 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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,276 per month in Avarua and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Avarua, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 54% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Avarua and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $851 in Avarua and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Avarua costs $851 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. 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 Avarua. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.