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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Hastings vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,261 per month in Hastings vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Hastings vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hastings costs about 66% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Hastings sits 7% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.19 NZ$20.59

$1.94 ฿63.5

528.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 NZ$137

$18.64 ฿609

336.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.12 NZ$15.40

$7.82 ฿255

16.62%

Cappuccino

$3.47 NZ$5.86

$1.95 ฿63.8

77.95%

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

$1.78 NZ$3.01

$0.85 ฿27.77

109.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 NZ$3.50

$0.35 ฿11.58

491.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 NZ$10.06

$2.13 ฿69.6

179.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 NZ$12.33

$3.73 ฿122

95.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 NZ$3.19

$1.71 ฿56.0

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 NZ$3.52

$1.63 ฿53.2

27.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.30

$1.14 ฿37.15

71.93%

Eggs

$6.12 NZ$10.33

$1.93 ฿63.1

217.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.25 NZ$13.93

$16.21 ฿530

-49.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.08 NZ$18.70

$3.12 ฿102

255.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.72 NZ$21.48

$10.90 ฿356

16.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 NZ$4.60

$2.75 ฿90.0

-0.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 NZ$3.61

$1.21 ฿39.52

76.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.04

$1.62 ฿53.0

84.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 NZ$8.13

$1.59 ฿51.8

202.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.19

$1.40 ฿45.70

35.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 NZ$2.50

$1.17 ฿38.17

26.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 NZ$3.70

$0.66 ฿21.60

231.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 NZ$1.73

$0.53 ฿17.22

92.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.43 NZ$36.17

$4.69 ฿153

356.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 NZ$16.09

$18.66 ฿609

-48.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.60 NZ$6.08

$1.80 ฿58.8

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 NZ$4.84

$3.23 ฿106

-11.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 NZ$4.26

$0.90 ฿29.26

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.0 NZ$103

$19.21 ฿628

217.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 NZ$4.49

$1.41 ฿45.91

88.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.11

$1.29 ฿42.12

42.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.0 NZ$101

$7.84 ฿256

665.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.92

$1.27 ฿41.58

36.22%

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

$30.9K NZ$52.1K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

45.09%

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

$21.4K NZ$36.1K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-3.67%

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

$159 NZ$269

$69.1 ฿2,256

130.35%

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

$33.64 NZ$56.8

$14.08 ฿460

138.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 NZ$87.5

$18.00 ฿588

187.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.57 NZ$60.1

$41.06 ฿1,341

-13.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.91 NZ$20.11

$6.96 ฿227

71.12%

Cinema Ticket

$10.89 NZ$18.39

$5.92 ฿193

83.95%

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

$798 NZ$1,347

$299 ฿9,766

166.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K NZ$21.9K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-13.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 NZ$108

$54.7 ฿1,787

17.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 NZ$87.9

$26.77 ฿874

94.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 NZ$192

$85.0 ฿2,776

34.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 NZ$230

$70.6 ฿2,306

92.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 NZ$680

$428 ฿14.0K

-5.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 NZ$581

$237 ฿7,752

44.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 NZ$1,805

$801 ฿26.2K

33.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 NZ$1,007

$515 ฿16.8K

15.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,661 NZ$2,804

$617 ฿20.2K

168.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

38.80%

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

Last update for Hastings: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $403 in Hastings 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 169% higher in Hastings, 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 $81.0 in Hastings versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $246 – 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

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

Hastings costs about 66% 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 $2,157 per month in Hastings and $1,300 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 $798 per month in Hastings and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Hastings, 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 Hastings at $1,438. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hastings it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,438 in Hastings. 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, Hastings makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.