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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 54.3% cheaper than Queenstown without rent, and 68.6% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 57.8% cheaper than Queenstown without rent, and 68.8% cheaper with rent.
Currency
ðŸ― Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Queenstown
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.04 āļŋ66.5
$14.80 NZ$25.76
-86.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.13 āļŋ590
$85.2 NZ$148
-78.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.82 āļŋ255
$9.46 NZ$16.45
-17.34%
Cappuccino
$1.92 āļŋ62.4
$3.42 NZ$5.96
-43.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 āļŋ27.65
$2.40 NZ$4.18
-64.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 āļŋ10.64
$2.33 NZ$4.06
-85.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.19 āļŋ71.3
$7.17 NZ$12.47
-69.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.59 āļŋ117
$5.95 NZ$10.36
-39.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Queenstown
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 āļŋ56.0
$2.20 NZ$3.83
-21.82%
White Bread (500g)
$1.61 āļŋ52.4
$2.03 NZ$3.54
-20.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.14 āļŋ37.15
$2.50 NZ$4.35
-54.40%
Eggs
$1.92 āļŋ62.6
$6.39 NZ$11.12
-69.95%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.86 āļŋ516
$10.23 NZ$17.80
55.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.01 āļŋ97.9
$10.73 NZ$18.67
-71.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.80 āļŋ351
$16.80 NZ$29.23
-35.71%
Apples (1kg)
$2.62 āļŋ85.4
$3.12 NZ$5.43
-16.03%
Banana (1kg)
$1.17 āļŋ38.04
$2.54 NZ$4.42
-53.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.64 āļŋ53.5
$4.12 NZ$7.17
-60.19%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.54 āļŋ50.2
$5.65 NZ$9.83
-72.74%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 āļŋ43.02
$2.70 NZ$4.70
-51.11%
Onion (1kg)
$1.20 āļŋ39.11
$2.39 NZ$4.15
-49.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 āļŋ23.50
$2.92 NZ$5.08
-75.34%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 āļŋ18.33
$1.11 NZ$1.93
-49.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.58 āļŋ149
$29.18 NZ$50.8
-84.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.08 āļŋ588
$9.65 NZ$16.79
87.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 āļŋ59.3
$4.78 NZ$8.32
-61.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.34 āļŋ109
$6.87 NZ$11.96
-51.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Queenstown
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.95 āļŋ30.82
$2.64 NZ$4.59
-64.02%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.72 āļŋ609
$132 NZ$230
-85.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.41 āļŋ45.80
$2.76 NZ$4.80
-48.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.34 āļŋ43.44
$1.81 NZ$3.14
-25.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.22 āļŋ267
$31.99 NZ$55.7
-74.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.23 āļŋ40.01
$1.68 NZ$2.92
-26.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.5K āļŋ700.6K
$29.5K NZ$51.4K
-27.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.9K āļŋ711.2K
$17.6K NZ$30.7K
24.02%
ðŸ§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Queenstown
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$69.6 āļŋ2,266
$287 NZ$499
-75.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.19 āļŋ462
$39.43 NZ$68.6
-64.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.61 āļŋ573
$64.2 NZ$112
-72.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Queenstown
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.49 āļŋ1,350
$57.7 NZ$100
-28.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.79 āļŋ221
$24.76 NZ$43.09
-72.58%
Cinema Ticket
$5.93 āļŋ193
$13.38 NZ$23.28
-55.68%
ðŸ§ļ Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Queenstown
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$300 āļŋ9,755
$497 NZ$865
-39.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.0K āļŋ487.8K
$7,110 NZ$12.4K
110.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Queenstown
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.8 āļŋ1,816
$86.3 NZ$150
-35.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.91 āļŋ876
$48.74 NZ$84.8
-44.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.3 āļŋ2,807
$95.6 NZ$166
-9.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.1 āļŋ2,281
$284 NZ$494
-75.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Queenstown
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$432 āļŋ14.1K
$1,493 NZ$2,598
-71.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$236 āļŋ7,677
$1,296 NZ$2,254
-81.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$805 āļŋ26.2K
$2,941 NZ$5,117
-72.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$506 āļŋ16.5K
$2,547 NZ$4,431
-80.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,962 āļŋ63.8K
$7,832 NZ$13.6K
-74.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,503 āļŋ48.9K
$5,348 NZ$9,306
-71.90%
ðŸ’ĩ Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Queenstown
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$610 āļŋ19.9K
$3,091 NZ$5,378
-80.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
6.74
-25.82%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: March 30, 2026

Last update for Queenstown: March 29, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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