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 $1,812 per month in Hastings vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,678 per month in Hastings vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,544 per month in Hastings vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hastings costs about 91% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.75 NZ$20.10

$2.10 ฿69.0

459.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 NZ$99.4

$19.84 ฿653

192.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 NZ$16.50

$5.79 ฿191

66.67%

Cappuccino

$3.36 NZ$5.74

$1.83 ฿60.2

83.61%

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

$1.94 NZ$3.32

$0.78 ฿25.51

148.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 NZ$2.60

$0.31 ฿10.33

390.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 NZ$8.03

$2.34 ฿76.9

100.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 NZ$10.34

$3.70 ฿122

63.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 NZ$3.11

$2.03 ฿66.8

-10.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 NZ$3.81

$1.60 ฿52.5

39.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.17

$1.42 ฿46.57

30.99%

Eggs

$5.98 NZ$10.23

$2.18 ฿71.6

174.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 NZ$13.63

$15.91 ฿523

-49.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.30 NZ$17.62

$3.07 ฿101

235.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.44 NZ$21.28

$9.87 ฿325

26.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 NZ$4.70

$2.63 ฿86.4

4.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 NZ$3.59

$1.10 ฿36.05

90.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 NZ$5.61

$1.63 ฿53.6

101.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 NZ$6.17

$1.53 ฿50.4

135.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 NZ$3.17

$1.24 ฿40.97

49.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 NZ$1.88

$1.13 ฿37.22

-2.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 NZ$2.57

$0.74 ฿24.29

102.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 NZ$1.65

$0.50 ฿16.42

92.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.38 NZ$31.45

$4.28 ฿141

329.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.55 NZ$16.34

$17.97 ฿591

-46.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.39 NZ$5.80

$1.70 ฿55.9

99.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 NZ$4.93

$2.90 ฿95.3

-0.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 NZ$5.08

$0.94 ฿31.00

215.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.4 NZ$151

$55.3 ฿1,820

59.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 NZ$3.40

$1.23 ฿40.60

61.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 NZ$3.26

$0.53 ฿17.59

260.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.70 NZ$61.1

$2.40 ฿79.0

1387.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.83

$1.44 ฿47.37

14.58%

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

$26.1K NZ$44.7K

$21.2K ฿697.5K

23.36%

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

$23.7K NZ$40.5K

$27.3K ฿898.6K

-13.35%

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

$202 NZ$346

$64.9 ฿2,137

211.07%

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

$33.62 NZ$57.5

$13.35 ฿439

151.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 NZ$94.1

$20.83 ฿686

164.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.69 NZ$50.8

$40.42 ฿1,330

-26.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$10.68 NZ$18.27

$6.71 ฿221

59.17%

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

$1,112 NZ$1,901

$787 ฿25.9K

41.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K NZ$22.9K

$15.1K ฿497.7K

-11.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.74 NZ$85.1

$56.2 ฿1,850

-11.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.80 NZ$51.0

$24.95 ฿821

19.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 NZ$179

$92.7 ฿3,051

12.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 NZ$161

$75.1 ฿2,472

25.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 NZ$1,430

$484 ฿15.9K

72.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$747 NZ$1,278

$287 ฿9,454

160.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,660 NZ$2,840

$910 ฿29.9K

82.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,214 NZ$2,076

$531 ฿17.5K

128.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,996 NZ$8,547

$1,980 ฿65.2K

152.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,474 NZ$5,943

$1,451 ฿47.8K

139.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,650 NZ$2,822

$605 ฿19.9K

172.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

5.57

-3.23%

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

Last update for Hastings: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $836 in Hastings versus $484 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 173% 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 $58.0 in Hastings versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $309 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

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

Hastings costs about 91% 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 $2,718 per month in Hastings and $1,426 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 $1,112 per month in Hastings and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 $950, than in Hastings at $1,812. 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 $950 versus $1,812 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.