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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,327 per month in Dubbo vs $848 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,340 per month in Dubbo vs $1,331 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,352 per month in Dubbo vs $1,814 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dubbo costs about 174% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Dubbo sits 75% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.18 A$22.90

$1.96 ฿63.6

725.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.5 A$110

$18.39 ฿598

321.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.27 A$13.12

$7.87 ฿256

17.79%

Cappuccino

$3.32 A$4.70

$1.95 ฿63.4

70.26%

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

$3.30 A$4.68

$0.85 ฿27.57

288.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 A$3.78

$0.32 ฿10.52

734.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 A$9.13

$2.14 ฿69.6

201.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 A$10.26

$3.68 ฿120

97.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 A$3.20

$1.66 ฿53.9

36.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 A$4.05

$1.56 ฿50.7

83.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 A$3.03

$1.19 ฿38.63

79.83%

Eggs

$3.27 A$4.62

$1.99 ฿64.7

64.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 A$11.76

$16.24 ฿528

-48.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.41 A$16.14

$3.17 ฿103

259.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.61 A$19.25

$10.84 ฿352

25.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 A$4.41

$2.65 ฿86.2

17.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.17

$1.22 ฿39.67

140.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 A$3.28

$1.65 ฿53.7

40.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 A$6.89

$1.55 ฿50.3

214.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 A$3.21

$1.33 ฿43.17

70.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 A$2.78

$1.21 ฿39.43

61.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 A$2.98

$0.68 ฿22.04

210.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 A$2.62

$0.57 ฿18.38

224.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.38 A$37.32

$4.68 ฿152

463.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.03 A$19.85

$16.99 ฿552

-17.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.46 A$6.32

$1.82 ฿59.3

145.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 A$6.30

$3.18 ฿103

39.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 A$3.74

$0.91 ฿29.46

190.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.4 A$92.5

$18.74 ฿609

248.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 A$4.09

$1.41 ฿45.80

104.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 A$2.21

$1.34 ฿43.52

16.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.51 A$47.41

$8.14 ฿265

311.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 A$1.81

$1.28 ฿41.53

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

$29.3K A$41.5K

$21.8K ฿709.3K

34.34%

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

$22.5K A$31.8K

$22.4K ฿728.0K

0.30%

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

$185 A$262

$70.5 ฿2,291

162.83%

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

$27.71 A$39.20

$14.05 ฿457

97.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.8 A$109

$17.65 ฿574

334.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.82 A$69.1

$41.29 ฿1,342

18.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.96 A$22.59

$6.76 ฿220

136.09%

Cinema Ticket

$13.13 A$18.58

$5.96 ฿194

120.30%

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

$1,599 A$2,263

$303 ฿9,846

427.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K A$17.1K

$15.0K ฿486.2K

-19.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 A$96.5

$54.7 ฿1,778

24.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 A$72.6

$26.29 ฿854

95.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.5 A$138

$85.8 ฿2,788

13.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 A$151

$69.7 ฿2,265

53.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$869 A$1,229

$428 ฿13.9K

102.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 A$1,496

$239 ฿7,769

342.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 A$2,111

$811 ฿26.4K

84.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 A$2,416

$510 ฿16.6K

235.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,729 A$2,446

$2,025 ฿65.8K

-14.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,169 A$7,313

$1,502 ฿48.8K

244.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,941 A$2,746

$623 ฿20.2K

211.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

26.80%

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

Last update for Dubbo: June 15, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $869 in Dubbo versus $428 in Chiang Mai. 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 212% higher in Dubbo, 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 $77.0 in Dubbo versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $242 – 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

Dubbo vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dubbo costs about 174% 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 $3,490 per month in Dubbo and $1,272 in Chiang Mai. 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 $1,599 per month in Dubbo and $303 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Dubbo, 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 $848, than in Dubbo at $2,327. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dubbo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $2,327 in Dubbo. 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, Dubbo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.