Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Pukekohe

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $2,030 in Pukekohe, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
93

Cost of Living Index in Pukekohe
Learn more

Pukekohe Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Pukekohe

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$2,030

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Pukekohe actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,030 in Pukekohe, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Pukekohe $2,030

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,838 in Pukekohe, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Pukekohe $2,838

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,647 in Pukekohe, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Pukekohe $3,647

Chiang Mai is about 54% cheaper than Pukekohe, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Pukekohe is 49% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$12.13 NZ$21.55

-81.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$74.0 NZ$132

-74.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$8.45 NZ$15.02

-34.32%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$3.34 NZ$5.94

-50.00%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$2.28 NZ$4.05

-71.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$2.50 NZ$4.44

-87.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$6.20 NZ$11.02

-61.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$5.52 NZ$9.81

-33.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.51 NZ$2.69

29.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$1.30 NZ$2.32

10.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$1.91 NZ$3.40

-30.37%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$5.28 NZ$9.39

-56.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$5.70 NZ$10.12

188.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$7.48 NZ$13.30

-62.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$11.98 NZ$21.29

-22.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$2.63 NZ$4.67

-10.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$2.33 NZ$4.14

-58.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$3.18 NZ$5.66

-49.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$6.07 NZ$10.79

-75.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$2.06 NZ$3.65

-37.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$1.43 NZ$2.55

-23.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$2.63 NZ$4.67

-73.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.92 NZ$1.63

-46.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$26.25 NZ$46.66

-84.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$10.65 NZ$18.93

64.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$3.96 NZ$7.04

-59.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$4.06 NZ$7.22

-31.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$1.75 NZ$3.11

-50.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$91.9 NZ$163

-41.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$3.73 NZ$6.63

-68.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$2.02 NZ$3.59

-73.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$32.01 NZ$56.9

-92.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$1.68 NZ$2.99

-13.69%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$28.1K NZ$49.9K

-25.01%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$22.6K NZ$40.1K

19.37%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$58.8 NZ$104

5.77%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$37.25 NZ$66.2

-67.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$55.5 NZ$98.6

-63.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$39.28 NZ$69.8

-5.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$13.86 NZ$24.64

-53.17%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$677 NZ$1,203

8.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$22.7K NZ$40.3K

-34.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$61.9 NZ$110

-13.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$38.64 NZ$68.7

-36.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$93.9 NZ$167

-2.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$104 NZ$185

-30.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$985 NZ$1,752

-51.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$1,044 NZ$1,856

-70.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$1,420 NZ$2,525

-29.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$1,305 NZ$2,320

-51.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$4,512 NZ$8,020

-47.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$3,582 NZ$6,368

-55.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.83

-18.45%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Pukekohe: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Pukekohe

$1K 51.4% 238% $735

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Pukekohe

$297 14.6% 26.9% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Pukekohe

$134 6.6% 23.7% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Pukekohe

$151 7.5% 60.4% $57

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Pukekohe

$224 11% 188% $146

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Pukekohe

$113 5.6% 83.7% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Pukekohe

$67 3.3% 33.3% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $985 in Pukekohe. 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 in Chiang Mai versus $74 in Pukekohe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $297 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇳🇿 Pukekohe

🕒 Local time

11:05 11:05 AM

17:05 5:05 PM

6 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

26,900

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1 NZD = 0.563 USD

1 NZD = 0.504 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 November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.78 NZD (1 NZD = 0.563 USD). 1 EUR = 1.98 NZD (1 NZD = 0.504 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Pukekohe 10,080 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Pukekohe

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 Pukekohe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pukekohe costs about 117% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,046 in Pukekohe. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $985 in Pukekohe.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $677 in Pukekohe. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Pukekohe, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $2,030 in Pukekohe. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $2,030 in Pukekohe. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Chiang Mai is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 54% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.