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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $942 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,163 in Rolleston, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,427 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,196 in Rolleston, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,912 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,229 in Rolleston, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 19% cheaper than Rolleston, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Rolleston are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Rolleston 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.7

$14.07 NZ$24.88

-85.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.91 ฿666

$69.8 NZ$123

-71.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.58 ฿187

$9.09 NZ$16.07

-38.61%

Cappuccino

$1.74 ฿58.1

$3.36 NZ$5.95

-48.21%

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

$0.72 ฿24.08

$2.08 NZ$3.68

-65.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.71

$1.82 NZ$3.22

-82.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 ฿75.3

$6.76 NZ$11.95

-66.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿128

$6.43 NZ$11.36

-40.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.6

$1.70 NZ$3.01

18.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.6

$1.92 NZ$3.39

-18.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.72

$1.54 NZ$2.73

-9.09%

Eggs

$2.15 ฿72.0

$5.90 NZ$10.43

-63.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.63 ฿523

$7.81 NZ$13.81

100.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.6

$9.57 NZ$16.91

-69.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 ฿318

$13.93 NZ$24.62

-31.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 ฿87.2

$2.59 NZ$4.58

0.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 ฿36.19

$2.31 NZ$4.09

-53.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$2.67 NZ$4.72

-40.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.62

$5.20 NZ$9.20

-72.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.72

$1.87 NZ$3.30

-31.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.18

$1.48 NZ$2.61

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ฿24.30

$2.37 NZ$4.20

-69.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.72

$0.60 NZ$1.07

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿143

$24.60 NZ$43.48

-82.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.67 ฿591

$8.53 NZ$15.07

107.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ฿56.3

$3.58 NZ$6.34

-53.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿93.8

$3.51 NZ$6.20

-20.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿28.95

$1.16 NZ$2.05

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.2 ฿1,814

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.59

$2.63 NZ$4.66

-53.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿18.03

$1.74 NZ$3.08

-68.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.9

$29.01 NZ$51.3

-91.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿48.98

$1.71 NZ$3.01

-14.62%

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

$21.0K ฿703.3K

$25.6K NZ$45.3K

-18.03%

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

$26.7K ฿893.4K

$25.3K NZ$44.7K

5.52%

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

$62.1 ฿2,078

$110 NZ$195

-43.68%

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

$12.93 ฿433

$23.01 NZ$40.68

-43.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.61 ฿690

$45.13 NZ$79.8

-54.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.21 ฿1,312

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 ฿218

$10.51 NZ$18.57

-37.96%

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

$803 ฿26.9K

$343 NZ$607

133.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.9K

$6,997 NZ$12.4K

110.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ฿1,870

$59.6 NZ$105

-6.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.51 ฿854

$35.59 NZ$62.9

-28.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 ฿3,048

$93.8 NZ$166

-2.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,453

$124 NZ$220

-41.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.2K

$284 NZ$502

70.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,646

$260 NZ$459

10.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 ฿29.6K

$1,014 NZ$1,792

-12.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 ฿17.5K

$1,101 NZ$1,947

-52.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,989 ฿66.6K

$2,052 NZ$3,626

-3.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,440 ฿48.2K

$1,830 NZ$3,234

-21.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 ฿20.2K

$4,491 NZ$7,940

-86.58%

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: September 21, 2026

Last update for Rolleston: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $284 in Rolleston. 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 645% higher in Rolleston, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $70.0 in Rolleston. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $310 – 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 Rolleston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rolleston costs about 23% 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 $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,745 in Rolleston. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $70.0 in Rolleston. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Rolleston, 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 $942, than in Rolleston at $1,163. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rolleston it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $942 versus $1,163 in Rolleston. 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, Rolleston makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.