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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$61.3 NZ$106

-69.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$8.99 NZ$15.50

-12.57%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$3.69 NZ$6.35

-44.99%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$2.64 NZ$4.56

-69.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$2.46 NZ$4.24

-85.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$5.98 NZ$10.30

-64.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$4.94 NZ$8.52

-25.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.82 NZ$3.14

-4.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$3.47 NZ$5.98

-54.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$1.83 NZ$3.16

-34.43%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$5.23 NZ$9.01

-62.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$12.15 NZ$20.94

33.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$8.20 NZ$14.13

-62.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$11.03 NZ$19.00

-2.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$2.99 NZ$5.15

-7.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$1.82 NZ$3.14

-35.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$3.52 NZ$6.07

-51.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$9.79 NZ$16.87

-83.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$3.05 NZ$5.26

-54.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$2.39 NZ$4.12

-51.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$2.38 NZ$4.10

-72.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$2.94 NZ$5.07

-82.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$14.18 NZ$24.43

25.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$4.55 NZ$7.84

-26.59%

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)

$71.3 ฿2,386

$119 NZ$205

-39.95%

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)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$68.8 NZ$119

-18.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$73.4 NZ$126

-3.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$158 NZ$272

168.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$156 NZ$269

55.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$174 NZ$299

359.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$226 NZ$389

124.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$5,046 NZ$8,695

-61.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$725 NZ$1,250

101.80%

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 Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Avarua: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $158 in Avarua. 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 $61.0 in Avarua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $377 – 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 Avarua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,276 in Avarua. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $61.0 in Avarua. 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $851 in Avarua, 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.