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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,893 per month in Levin vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,919 per month in Levin vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,945 per month in Levin vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Levin costs about 120% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Levin sits 42% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.01 NZ$34.26

$1.96 ฿65.9

920.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.7 NZ$167

$18.35 ฿617

432.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 NZ$15.32

$7.48 ฿252

19.65%

Cappuccino

$3.09 NZ$5.29

$2.02 ฿67.8

52.97%

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

$2.40 NZ$4.11

$0.85 ฿28.52

182.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 NZ$3.69

$0.36 ฿11.97

497.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.08 NZ$12.13

$2.14 ฿71.9

230.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 NZ$10.53

$3.59 ฿121

71.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.84

$1.65 ฿55.5

0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 NZ$1.27

$1.57 ฿52.7

-52.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 NZ$3.01

$1.19 ฿40.05

47.90%

Eggs

$6.21 NZ$10.63

$1.94 ฿65.1

220.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.31 NZ$12.52

$16.19 ฿545

-54.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.57 NZ$12.97

$2.99 ฿101

153.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.21 NZ$17.48

$10.94 ฿368

-6.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.13

$2.71 ฿91.2

-32.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 NZ$3.21

$1.17 ฿39.27

59.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 NZ$4.19

$1.69 ฿56.8

44.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 NZ$3.38

$1.60 ฿54.0

23.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 NZ$3.69

$1.38 ฿46.56

55.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NZ$3.70

$1.20 ฿40.47

80.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 NZ$2.64

$0.67 ฿22.51

129.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 NZ$1.00

$0.56 ฿18.74

3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.91 NZ$34.08

$4.64 ฿156

329.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.90 NZ$18.66

$17.62 ฿593

-38.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 NZ$4.37

$1.86 ฿62.6

37.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 NZ$4.47

$3.30 ฿111

-20.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.16 NZ$3.70

$0.88 ฿29.70

145.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.6 NZ$109

$19.34 ฿651

228.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 NZ$4.52

$1.36 ฿45.92

94.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 NZ$3.03

$1.34 ฿45.00

32.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.50 NZ$60.8

$8.21 ฿276

332.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.81

$1.22 ฿41.20

34.43%

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

$27.3K NZ$46.8K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

27.94%

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

$23.2K NZ$39.8K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

3.10%

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

$198 NZ$340

$70.7 ฿2,378

180.83%

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

$37.72 NZ$64.6

$14.04 ฿472

168.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.47 NZ$83.0

$17.49 ฿589

177.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.18 NZ$62.0

$42.15 ฿1,418

-14.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.24 NZ$20.96

$6.88 ฿231

77.91%

Cinema Ticket

$8.96 NZ$15.34

$5.92 ฿199

51.35%

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

$761 NZ$1,303

$309 ฿10.4K

146.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K NZ$20.8K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-18.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 NZ$173

$55.8 ฿1,876

81.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.80 NZ$40.75

$26.11 ฿879

-8.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.7 NZ$93.7

$83.0 ฿2,793

-34.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NZ$208

$70.5 ฿2,371

72.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 NZ$1,662

$432 ฿14.5K

124.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 NZ$1,335

$239 ฿8,040

226.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,556 NZ$2,664

$822 ฿27.7K

89.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,418 NZ$2,428

$512 ฿17.2K

176.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,639 NZ$7,944

$1,915 ฿64.4K

142.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,356 NZ$5,746

$1,467 ฿49.4K

128.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

33.80%

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

Last update for Levin: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $971 in Levin versus $432 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Levin versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $243 – 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

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

Levin costs about 120% 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 $2,840 per month in Levin and $1,292 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 $761 per month in Levin and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Levin, 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 $861, than in Levin at $1,893. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Levin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,893 in Levin. 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, Levin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.