Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Blenheim

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $1,366 in Blenheim, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
67

Cost of Living Index in Blenheim
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Blenheim Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Blenheim

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,366

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Blenheim

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Blenheim actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,366 in Blenheim, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Blenheim $1,366

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,231 in Blenheim, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Blenheim $2,231

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,095 in Blenheim, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Blenheim $3,095

Chiang Mai is about 31% cheaper than Blenheim, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 30% below the global median, while Blenheim is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$13.77 NZ$24.35

-83.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$68.4 NZ$121

-71.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$7.91 NZ$13.99

-29.33%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$3.16 NZ$5.58

-45.57%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$2.21 NZ$3.90

-71.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$1.75 NZ$3.10

-81.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

$5.54 NZ$9.81

-57.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

$6.90 NZ$12.20

-43.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$1.65 NZ$2.92

24.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$1.42 NZ$2.51

-1.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$1.07 NZ$1.90

19.63%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$5.38 NZ$9.51

-58.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$6.73 NZ$11.90

151.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$4.97 NZ$8.78

-44.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$10.32 NZ$18.26

-9.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$2.57 NZ$4.55

-6.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$1.71 NZ$3.03

-40.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$2.63 NZ$4.65

-38.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$3.82 NZ$6.75

-60.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$1.48 NZ$2.62

-13.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$1.44 NZ$2.55

-22.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$1.67 NZ$2.95

-56.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$1.22 NZ$2.16

-57.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$23.74 NZ$41.98

-81.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

$7.88 NZ$13.94

125.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$3.48 NZ$6.16

-53.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$4.44 NZ$7.85

-35.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$1.71 NZ$3.02

-50.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$80.9 NZ$143

-33.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$2.55 NZ$4.50

-54.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$1.10 NZ$1.95

-48.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$28.38 NZ$50.2

-91.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$1.53 NZ$2.71

-5.23%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$10.6K NZ$18.7K

93.29%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$17.4K NZ$30.7K

52.62%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$44.61 NZ$78.9

39.72%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$22.46 NZ$39.72

-45.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$46.00 NZ$81.4

-56.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$22.16 NZ$39.19

71.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

$4.54 NZ$8.03

-17.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$5.17 NZ$9.15

29.79%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

$444 NZ$785

79.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

$21.8K NZ$38.5K

-31.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$19.58 NZ$34.63

171.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$11.34 NZ$20.05

120.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$99.2 NZ$175

-7.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$122 NZ$216

-39.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$669 NZ$1,182

-30.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$526 NZ$931

-42.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$1,204 NZ$2,130

-23.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$1,053 NZ$1,863

-47.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

$5,178 NZ$9,157

-63.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

$3,133 NZ$5,540

-54.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$2,398 NZ$4,241

-75.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.91

-5.75%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Blenheim: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Blenheim

$526 38.5% 72.8% $222

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Blenheim

$256 18.7% 7.5% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Blenheim

$114 8.3% 3.7% $4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Blenheim

$113 8.3% 19.5% $18

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Blenheim

$229 16.8% 190% $150

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Blenheim

$96 7% 56.3% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Blenheim

$33 2.4% 36.7% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $669 in Blenheim. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 303% higher in Blenheim, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $68.0 in Blenheim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $256 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇳🇿 Blenheim

🕒 Local time

02:28 2:28 AM

08:28 8:28 AM

6 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

28,800

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 NZD = 0.565 USD

1 NZD = 0.503 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NZD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Blenheim 10,200 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Blenheim

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Blenheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Blenheim is pricier by about 46%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,050 in Blenheim. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $938 in Chiang Mai and $1,366 in Blenheim. That's a gap of about 46%.

Public transport costs about 50% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $938, than in Blenheim at $1,366. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Blenheim it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Blenheim makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.