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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,485 per month in Masterton vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,448 per month in Masterton vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,411 per month in Masterton vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Masterton costs about 74% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Masterton sits 11% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.82 NZ$16.79

$1.96 ฿64.0

401.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.0 NZ$154

$18.81 ฿615

378.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.28 NZ$15.86

$7.92 ฿259

17.17%

Cappuccino

$3.15 NZ$5.38

$1.91 ฿62.6

64.92%

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

$2.08 NZ$3.55

$0.84 ฿27.41

147.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 NZ$2.83

$0.35 ฿11.51

374.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 NZ$6.34

$2.21 ฿72.1

67.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 NZ$7.38

$3.80 ฿124

13.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 NZ$2.54

$1.64 ฿53.5

-9.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 NZ$2.88

$1.62 ฿53.1

4.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 NZ$1.99

$1.18 ฿38.62

-1.69%

Eggs

$6.00 NZ$10.26

$2.01 ฿65.8

198.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.33 NZ$12.54

$15.89 ฿520

-53.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.43 NZ$16.12

$3.01 ฿98.5

213.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 NZ$20.76

$10.77 ฿352

12.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.18

$2.61 ฿85.5

-28.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.18

$1.22 ฿39.88

52.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 NZ$4.38

$1.70 ฿55.7

50.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.33 NZ$5.70

$1.58 ฿51.5

110.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 NZ$2.48

$1.32 ฿43.14

9.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 NZ$2.01

$1.17 ฿38.23

0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 NZ$3.03

$0.67 ฿21.98

164.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 NZ$1.55

$0.56 ฿18.32

60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.04 NZ$34.26

$4.53 ฿148

342.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 NZ$18.37

$18.20 ฿595

-40.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 NZ$3.97

$1.83 ฿60.0

26.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 NZ$4.43

$3.23 ฿106

-19.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 NZ$4.03

$0.89 ฿29.00

165.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.0 NZ$109

$19.38 ฿634

229.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 NZ$4.06

$1.35 ฿44.20

75.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 NZ$3.04

$1.35 ฿44.05

31.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.81 NZ$69.8

$8.25 ฿270

394.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 NZ$2.87

$1.27 ฿41.64

32.28%

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

$24.1K NZ$41.3K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

14.11%

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

$23.4K NZ$40.0K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

3.93%

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

$79.5 NZ$136

$70.2 ฿2,294

13.34%

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

$31.57 NZ$54.0

$13.77 ฿450

129.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.75 NZ$83.4

$17.60 ฿575

176.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.52 NZ$69.3

$41.57 ฿1,360

-2.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.89 NZ$15.21

$6.60 ฿216

34.70%

Cinema Ticket

$8.13 NZ$13.89

$5.78 ฿189

40.66%

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

$397 NZ$678

$306 ฿10.0K

29.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,896 NZ$8,371

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-66.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.2 NZ$120

$54.4 ฿1,778

29.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.07 NZ$51.4

$26.14 ฿855

15.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 NZ$178

$84.5 ฿2,764

23.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 NZ$194

$69.4 ฿2,270

63.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$785 NZ$1,342

$424 ฿13.9K

85.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 NZ$1,046

$238 ฿7,788

156.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 NZ$2,169

$825 ฿27.0K

53.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 NZ$1,833

$515 ฿16.8K

108.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,456 NZ$4,200

$635 ฿20.8K

286.69%

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 Masterton: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $785 in Masterton versus $424 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 287% higher in Masterton, 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 $90.0 in Masterton versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 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

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

Masterton costs about 74% 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 $2,227 per month in Masterton and $1,278 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 $397 per month in Masterton and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Masterton, 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 $852, than in Masterton at $1,485. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Masterton it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,485 in Masterton. 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, Masterton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.