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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,354 in Wellington, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,553 in Wellington, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,751 in Wellington, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 63% cheaper than Wellington, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Wellington is 76% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$17.30 NZ$29.21

-88.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$84.5 NZ$143

-77.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$9.77 NZ$16.49

-19.96%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.80 NZ$6.41

-48.68%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$2.60 NZ$4.40

-67.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$2.18 NZ$3.68

-83.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$7.03 NZ$11.88

-69.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$7.45 NZ$12.59

-49.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.87 NZ$3.15

-8.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.11 NZ$3.56

-22.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.95 NZ$3.30

-41.54%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$6.88 NZ$11.62

-71.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.13 NZ$13.73

99.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$11.06 NZ$18.67

-71.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$13.14 NZ$22.19

-17.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.12 NZ$5.27

-11.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.24 NZ$3.78

-45.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.99 NZ$5.05

-45.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$4.72 NZ$7.97

-66.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.07 NZ$3.49

-32.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.66 NZ$2.80

-29.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$2.21 NZ$3.73

-70.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.28 NZ$2.17

-58.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$26.87 NZ$45.36

-82.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$11.74 NZ$19.82

58.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$3.52 NZ$5.95

-48.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.18 NZ$5.37

1.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$2.75 NZ$4.64

-67.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$107 NZ$181

-82.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.66 NZ$4.50

-46.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.85 NZ$3.13

-30.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$60.4 NZ$102

-87.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.71 NZ$2.89

-25.73%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$33.6K NZ$56.7K

-36.70%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$24.6K NZ$41.5K

-9.64%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$160 NZ$270

-56.89%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$32.55 NZ$55.0

-56.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$51.5 NZ$87.0

-65.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$36.79 NZ$62.1

11.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$20.60 NZ$34.78

-66.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$12.17 NZ$20.55

-51.36%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$800 NZ$1,351

-62.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$12.6K NZ$21.4K

18.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$73.5 NZ$124

-25.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$53.1 NZ$89.7

-49.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$119 NZ$201

-28.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$142 NZ$239

-50.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$1,339 NZ$2,261

-68.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$1,105 NZ$1,865

-78.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$2,103 NZ$3,551

-61.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,888 NZ$3,188

-72.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$6,602 NZ$11.1K

-70.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$3,897 NZ$6,579

-62.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$3,057 NZ$5,161

-79.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

-27.95%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Wellington: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,339 in Wellington. 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 395% higher in Wellington, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $85.0 in Wellington. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $340 – 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 Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wellington costs about 172% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,531 in Wellington. 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $800 in Wellington. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Wellington, 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 $866, than in Wellington at $2,354. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wellington it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $2,354 in Wellington. 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, Wellington makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.