Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Upper Hutt

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,952 in Upper Hutt, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 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
96

Cost of Living Index in Upper Hutt
Learn more

Upper Hutt Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Upper Hutt

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,952

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Upper Hutt

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,952 in Upper Hutt, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Upper Hutt $1,952

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,954 in Upper Hutt, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Upper Hutt $2,954

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,956 in Upper Hutt, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Upper Hutt $3,956

Chiang Mai is about 52% cheaper than Upper Hutt, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Upper Hutt is 43% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$8.58 NZ$15.26

-73.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$57.9 NZ$103

-67.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$8.66 NZ$15.39

-35.91%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.92 NZ$5.18

-42.81%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$2.39 NZ$4.25

-73.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$1.74 NZ$3.10

-82.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$7.58 NZ$13.47

-68.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$6.64 NZ$11.80

-44.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.86 NZ$3.31

4.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$2.18 NZ$3.87

-33.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$1.86 NZ$3.31

-28.49%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$7.09 NZ$12.60

-67.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$5.51 NZ$9.80

198.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$9.62 NZ$17.10

-71.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$15.38 NZ$27.34

-39.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$3.17 NZ$5.63

-25.87%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$2.26 NZ$4.02

-57.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$3.14 NZ$5.59

-49.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$6.41 NZ$11.40

-76.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$2.17 NZ$3.86

-41.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$1.30 NZ$2.32

-15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$2.08 NZ$3.70

-65.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$1.15 NZ$2.05

-57.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$25.44 NZ$45.23

-83.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$11.31 NZ$20.11

54.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$3.19 NZ$5.67

-49.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.77 NZ$4.92

0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$1.89 NZ$3.36

-53.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$105 NZ$187

-48.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$1.82 NZ$3.23

-36.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$1.84 NZ$3.27

-71.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$34.32 NZ$61.0

-92.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$1.83 NZ$3.25

-20.77%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$28.5K NZ$50.7K

-26.11%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$23.2K NZ$41.2K

16.19%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$113 NZ$202

-45.17%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$25.35 NZ$45.07

-51.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$54.8 NZ$97.4

-63.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$42.80 NZ$76.1

-12.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$12.16 NZ$21.62

-46.63%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$1,064 NZ$1,892

-30.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$13.3K NZ$23.6K

11.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$78.6 NZ$140

-32.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$28.83 NZ$51.3

-14.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$104 NZ$185

-12.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$156 NZ$277

-53.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$1,057 NZ$1,879

-54.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$869 NZ$1,544

-64.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$1,498 NZ$2,662

-32.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$1,531 NZ$2,722

-58.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$4,193 NZ$7,453

-43.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$3,357 NZ$5,967

-52.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.39

3.34%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Upper Hutt: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Upper Hutt

$869 44.5% 181% $560

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Upper Hutt

$336 17.2% 43.5% $102

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Upper Hutt

$165 8.5% 52.2% $57

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Upper Hutt

$194 9.9% 105% $99

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Upper Hutt

$197 10.1% 154% $120

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Upper Hutt

$124 6.3% 102% $62

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Upper Hutt

$67 3.4% 33.5% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $1,057 in Upper Hutt. 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 $58 in Upper Hutt. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $336 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇳🇿 Upper Hutt

🕒 Local time

08:46 8:46 AM

14:46 2:46 PM

6 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

44,600

💱 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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Between locations

Chiang Mai Upper Hutt 10,260 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Upper Hutt

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 Upper Hutt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Upper Hutt costs about 109% 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 $2,928 in Upper Hutt. 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 $1,057 in Upper Hutt.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,064 in Upper Hutt. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Upper Hutt, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,952 in Upper Hutt. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 52% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.