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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,871 per month in Manukau vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,858 per month in Manukau vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,844 per month in Manukau vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Manukau costs about 117% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Manukau sits 40% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.34 NZ$26.26

$1.96 ฿65.9

682.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 NZ$136

$18.35 ฿617

331.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.30 NZ$15.91

$7.48 ฿252

24.33%

Cappuccino

$3.50 NZ$5.99

$2.02 ฿67.8

73.27%

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

$1.50 NZ$2.56

$0.85 ฿28.52

76.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 NZ$2.05

$0.36 ฿11.97

233.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 NZ$8.69

$2.14 ฿71.9

137.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 NZ$9.18

$3.59 ฿121

49.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.96

$1.65 ฿55.5

4.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 NZ$3.59

$1.57 ฿52.7

33.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 NZ$3.44

$1.19 ฿40.05

68.91%

Eggs

$4.96 NZ$8.49

$1.94 ฿65.1

155.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.79 NZ$9.92

$16.19 ฿545

-64.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.02 NZ$15.44

$2.99 ฿101

201.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.03 NZ$22.31

$10.94 ฿368

19.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 NZ$4.78

$2.71 ฿91.2

2.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 NZ$3.93

$1.17 ฿39.27

96.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 NZ$5.78

$1.69 ฿56.8

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 NZ$6.95

$1.60 ฿54.0

153.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 NZ$1.87

$1.38 ฿46.56

-21.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 NZ$2.93

$1.20 ฿40.47

42.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NZ$3.34

$0.67 ฿22.51

191.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 NZ$2.18

$0.56 ฿18.74

126.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.81 NZ$44.18

$4.64 ฿156

456.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.10 NZ$8.74

$17.62 ฿593

-71.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 NZ$5.04

$1.86 ฿62.6

58.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 NZ$6.82

$3.30 ฿111

20.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 NZ$4.19

$0.88 ฿29.70

178.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 NZ$108

$19.34 ฿651

226.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 NZ$3.67

$1.36 ฿45.92

58.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.32

$1.34 ฿45.00

44.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.28 NZ$60.4

$8.21 ฿276

329.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 NZ$2.90

$1.22 ฿41.20

38.52%

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

$28.9K NZ$49.4K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

35.19%

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

$21.9K NZ$37.6K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

-2.59%

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

$142 NZ$242

$70.7 ฿2,378

100.31%

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

$30.15 NZ$51.6

$14.04 ฿472

114.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.33 NZ$82.8

$17.49 ฿589

176.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.96 NZ$73.6

$42.15 ฿1,418

1.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.14 NZ$20.78

$6.88 ฿231

76.45%

Cinema Ticket

$14.35 NZ$24.57

$5.92 ฿199

142.40%

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

$918 NZ$1,572

$309 ฿10.4K

197.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K NZ$23.4K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-8.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.63 NZ$83.3

$55.8 ฿1,876

-12.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.97 NZ$83.8

$26.11 ฿879

87.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 NZ$169

$83.0 ฿2,793

19.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NZ$211

$70.5 ฿2,371

74.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 NZ$1,638

$432 ฿14.5K

121.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 NZ$1,349

$239 ฿8,040

229.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NZ$2,684

$822 ฿27.7K

90.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,450 NZ$2,483

$512 ฿17.2K

183.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,110 NZ$8,749

$1,915 ฿64.4K

166.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,376 NZ$5,780

$1,467 ฿49.4K

130.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,087 NZ$3,574

$579 ฿19.5K

260.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

27.40%

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

Last update for Manukau: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Manukau 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.

Salaries run about 260% higher in Manukau, 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 $79.0 in Manukau versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 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

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

Manukau costs about 117% 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 $2,807 per month in Manukau 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 $918 per month in Manukau 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 20% more in Manukau, 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 Manukau at $1,871. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manukau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,871 in Manukau. 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, Manukau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.