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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,722 in Pukekohe, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,588 in Pukekohe, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,455 in Pukekohe, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 51% cheaper than Pukekohe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Pukekohe is 29% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$8.95 NZ$15.34

-78.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$39.10 NZ$67.0

-52.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$5.29 NZ$9.08

48.77%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$2.34 NZ$4.01

-16.67%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$0.88 NZ$1.51

-3.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$2.27 NZ$3.89

-85.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$4.91 NZ$8.42

-56.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$5.94 NZ$10.19

-38.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$0.97 NZ$1.67

71.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$0.61 NZ$1.05

155.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$1.12 NZ$1.92

6.25%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$6.96 NZ$11.93

-71.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$7.02 NZ$12.03

131.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$7.91 NZ$13.56

-59.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$12.76 NZ$21.88

-15.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$2.44 NZ$4.19

8.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$2.29 NZ$3.93

-46.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$2.37 NZ$4.07

-30.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$3.99 NZ$6.84

-61.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$2.02 NZ$3.46

-34.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$1.24 NZ$2.13

-2.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$1.92 NZ$3.29

-64.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$0.62 NZ$1.07

-8.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$20.18 NZ$34.60

-76.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$10.35 NZ$17.75

64.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$1.99 NZ$3.40

-8.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$3.98 NZ$6.82

-20.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$2.09 NZ$3.59

-56.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

$64.4 NZ$110

-70.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$2.16 NZ$3.70

-34.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$1.98 NZ$3.40

-32.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$35.80 NZ$61.4

-77.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$1.59 NZ$2.73

-19.50%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$28.5K NZ$48.9K

-23.54%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$22.0K NZ$37.7K

1.91%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$142 NZ$243

-50.22%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$30.54 NZ$52.4

-53.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$41.67 NZ$71.4

-57.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$36.47 NZ$62.5

13.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

$12.12 NZ$20.78

-44.22%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$9.28 NZ$15.90

-35.78%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$908 NZ$1,557

-66.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$13.9K NZ$23.8K

7.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$70.7 NZ$121

-22.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$49.42 NZ$84.7

-46.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$97.5 NZ$167

-12.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$126 NZ$215

-44.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$986 NZ$1,691

-56.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$792 NZ$1,358

-69.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$1,543 NZ$2,646

-47.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$1,439 NZ$2,467

-64.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$4,195 NZ$7,193

-51.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$3,747 NZ$6,424

-59.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

-21.51%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Pukekohe: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $986 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $39.00 in Pukekohe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $265 – 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 Pukekohe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pukekohe costs about 103% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,583 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $908 in Pukekohe. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Pukekohe, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $848, than in Pukekohe at $1,722. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pukekohe it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $1,722 in Pukekohe. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pukekohe makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.