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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Chiang Mai is about 53% cheaper than Ashburton, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$17.08 NZ$28.83

-88.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$73.5 NZ$124

-74.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$9.88 NZ$16.68

-20.85%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.46 NZ$5.84

-43.64%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$2.31 NZ$3.90

-63.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.97 NZ$3.32

-82.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$7.07 NZ$11.93

-69.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$7.09 NZ$11.96

-47.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.84 NZ$3.10

-7.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.94 NZ$3.28

-15.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.67 NZ$2.82

-31.74%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$6.31 NZ$10.66

-69.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.22 NZ$13.88

97.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$9.50 NZ$16.04

-67.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$13.12 NZ$22.14

-16.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.01 NZ$5.08

-8.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.13 NZ$3.60

-43.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.99 NZ$5.05

-45.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$3.41 NZ$5.76

-53.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.11 NZ$3.56

-33.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.21 NZ$3.73

-47.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$2.90 NZ$4.90

-77.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.40 NZ$2.36

-62.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$24.06 NZ$40.63

-80.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$8.70 NZ$14.68

114.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$3.66 NZ$6.19

-50.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$4.97 NZ$8.39

-35.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$2.15 NZ$3.62

-58.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$64.6 NZ$109

-70.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.69 NZ$4.54

-47.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.64 NZ$2.77

-21.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$30.40 NZ$51.3

-74.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.71 NZ$2.89

-25.73%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$27.4K NZ$46.3K

-22.35%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$20.0K NZ$33.8K

10.92%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$117 NZ$197

-40.84%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$32.17 NZ$54.3

-56.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$54.1 NZ$91.3

-66.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$36.68 NZ$61.9

11.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$12.03 NZ$20.31

-42.14%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$11.20 NZ$18.91

-47.14%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$645 NZ$1,089

-53.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$9,322 NZ$15.7K

60.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$30.53 NZ$51.6

79.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$42.82 NZ$72.3

-37.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$93.4 NZ$158

-8.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$153 NZ$257

-53.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$982 NZ$1,658

-56.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$774 NZ$1,306

-69.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,579 NZ$2,666

-49.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,400 NZ$2,363

-63.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$4,791 NZ$8,088

-58.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$3,958 NZ$6,682

-62.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

-25.82%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ashburton: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $982 in Ashburton. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $74.0 in Ashburton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $323 – 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

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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,754 in Ashburton. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $74.0 in Ashburton. 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.