Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Rarotonga

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,117 in Rarotonga, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Rarotonga outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Rarotonga

🇨🇰 Cook Islands

$1,117

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,117 in Rarotonga, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Rarotonga $1,117

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,581 in Rarotonga, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Rarotonga $1,581

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,045 in Rarotonga, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Rarotonga $2,045

Chiang Mai is about 16% cheaper than Rarotonga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Rarotonga are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Rarotonga 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$14.31 NZ$25.18

-84.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$51.0 NZ$89.8

-62.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$5.70 NZ$10.03

-2.63%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$3.33 NZ$5.86

-49.85%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$2.21 NZ$3.88

-71.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$2.25 NZ$3.96

-86.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$5.05 NZ$8.88

-53.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$5.06 NZ$8.91

-27.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$2.80 NZ$4.92

-30.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$2.91 NZ$5.12

-50.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$6.22 NZ$10.94

-63.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$7.20 NZ$12.67

128.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$11.49 NZ$20.22

-63.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$11.19 NZ$19.70

56.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$3.34 NZ$5.89

-51.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$5.06 NZ$8.90

-45.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$2.89 NZ$5.09

-69.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$20.16 NZ$35.49

-94.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$33.69 NZ$59.3

-92.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$1.68 NZ$2.96

-13.69%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$11.4K NZ$20.0K

85.14%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$101 NZ$178

-38.53%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$48.92 NZ$86.1

-75.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$103 NZ$181

-80.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$446 NZ$785

8.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$455 NZ$801

-32.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$683 NZ$1,202

47.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$633 NZ$1,114

0.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$3,985 NZ$7,013

-85.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Rarotonga: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Rarotonga

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Rarotonga

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Rarotonga

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Rarotonga

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Rarotonga

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Rarotonga

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Rarotonga

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $446 in Rarotonga. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Rarotonga are about 6.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $51 in Rarotonga. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $153 in Rarotonga – so Rarotonga wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇰 Rarotonga

🕒 Local time

23:57 11:57 PM

06:57 6:57 AM

17 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

13,373

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 NZD = 0.568 USD

1 NZD = 0.511 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 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.76 NZD (1 NZD = 0.568 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 NZD (1 NZD = 0.511 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Rarotonga 11,870 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Rarotonga

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 Rarotonga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rarotonga costs about 19% 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 $1,676 in Rarotonga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $482 in Chiang Mai and $446 in Rarotonga. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,117 in Rarotonga. That’s a gap of about 19%.

Interestingly, groceries are about 35% cheaper in Rarotonga – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,117 in Rarotonga. 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 $1,117 in Rarotonga. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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