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 $1,989 per month in Manukau vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,995 per month in Manukau vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,001 per month in Manukau vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Manukau costs about 113% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Manukau sits 45% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.50 NZ$25.35

$2.08 ฿69.5

597.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 NZ$121

$19.61 ฿655

254.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 NZ$15.06

$5.67 ฿189

51.85%

Cappuccino

$3.48 NZ$6.08

$1.81 ฿60.3

92.27%

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

$2.09 NZ$3.65

$0.77 ฿25.65

171.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 NZ$3.17

$0.35 ฿11.53

417.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 NZ$12.59

$2.21 ฿73.9

225.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 NZ$11.96

$3.79 ฿127

80.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 NZ$3.30

$2.05 ฿68.4

-7.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 NZ$3.86

$1.51 ฿50.6

46.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.40

$1.40 ฿46.69

39.29%

Eggs

$4.53 NZ$7.93

$2.26 ฿75.4

100.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 NZ$15.39

$16.19 ฿540

-45.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 NZ$17.57

$2.90 ฿96.7

246.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.63 NZ$30.82

$9.42 ฿314

87.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 NZ$5.07

$2.68 ฿89.4

8.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 NZ$3.77

$1.09 ฿36.37

98.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.45

$1.62 ฿54.0

92.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.53 NZ$9.66

$1.46 ฿48.74

278.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 NZ$1.75

$1.28 ฿42.65

-21.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 NZ$2.91

$1.06 ฿35.31

56.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 NZ$3.46

$0.72 ฿23.94

175.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 NZ$1.97

$0.53 ฿17.56

113.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.23 NZ$49.36

$4.23 ฿141

567.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.40 NZ$18.19

$18.29 ฿611

-43.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 NZ$4.88

$1.63 ฿54.4

71.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 NZ$5.91

$2.90 ฿96.8

16.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 NZ$3.05

$0.88 ฿29.32

98.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.1 NZ$159

$53.8 ฿1,795

69.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 NZ$3.95

$1.17 ฿39.14

93.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 NZ$3.44

$0.58 ฿19.30

239.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.32 NZ$58.2

$2.39 ฿79.6

1294.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.88

$1.45 ฿48.41

13.79%

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

$26.3K NZ$46.1K

$21.0K ฿701.4K

25.37%

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

$23.1K NZ$40.4K

$26.4K ฿882.0K

-12.50%

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

$185 NZ$324

$63.7 ฿2,125

191.19%

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

$27.84 NZ$48.67

$12.89 ฿430

115.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 NZ$88.9

$20.52 ฿685

147.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.56 NZ$65.7

$39.02 ฿1,302

-3.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$13.33 NZ$23.30

$6.58 ฿220

102.58%

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

$1,148 NZ$2,007

$784 ฿26.2K

46.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K NZ$34.8K

$14.7K ฿489.8K

35.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.2 NZ$142

$55.1 ฿1,840

47.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.73 NZ$71.2

$24.74 ฿826

64.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 NZ$119

$94.1 ฿3,142

-27.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 NZ$198

$74.0 ฿2,469

53.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 NZ$1,629

$490 ฿16.4K

89.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 NZ$1,476

$288 ฿9,620

192.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 NZ$2,943

$891 ฿29.8K

88.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,518 NZ$2,654

$521 ฿17.4K

191.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,525 NZ$7,910

$1,974 ฿65.9K

129.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,558 NZ$6,220

$1,444 ฿48.2K

146.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,807 NZ$3,159

$602 ฿20.1K

200.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.4

5.57

-3.05%

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

Last update for Manukau: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $932 in Manukau versus $490 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 200% 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 $69.0 in Manukau versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $241 – 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 113% 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 $2,983 per month in Manukau and $1,398 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 $1,148 per month in Manukau and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% 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 $932, than in Manukau at $1,989. 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 $932 versus $1,989 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.