Cost of Living Comparison Between New Plymouth and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between New Plymouth and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,843 per month in New Plymouth vs $872 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,770 per month in New Plymouth vs $1,337 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,698 per month in New Plymouth vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

New Plymouth costs about 111% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

New Plymouth sits 37% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.27 NZ$25.96

$2.01 ฿64.5

659.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.7 NZ$132

$18.23 ฿584

325.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.72 NZ$18.23

$7.65 ฿245

40.13%

Cappuccino

$3.76 NZ$6.39

$1.92 ฿61.5

95.83%

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

$2.37 NZ$4.02

$0.84 ฿26.97

182.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 NZ$3.50

$0.36 ฿11.42

472.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.26 NZ$8.94

$2.19 ฿70.2

140.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.37 NZ$12.53

$3.79 ฿121

94.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 NZ$3.45

$1.64 ฿52.5

23.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 NZ$2.50

$1.62 ฿52.0

-9.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 NZ$3.10

$1.15 ฿36.98

58.26%

Eggs

$6.10 NZ$10.37

$1.94 ฿62.2

214.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 NZ$12.79

$15.94 ฿511

-52.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.02 NZ$22.14

$3.10 ฿99.5

320.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 NZ$21.59

$11.07 ฿355

14.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 NZ$3.67

$2.71 ฿86.8

-20.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 NZ$3.35

$1.18 ฿37.80

66.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 NZ$5.54

$1.71 ฿54.7

90.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.67 NZ$11.34

$1.61 ฿51.5

314.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 NZ$4.31

$1.39 ฿44.66

82.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 NZ$2.84

$1.15 ฿36.81

45.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 NZ$3.40

$0.71 ฿22.83

181.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 NZ$2.43

$0.55 ฿17.65

160.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.83 NZ$35.42

$4.57 ฿146

355.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.70 NZ$14.78

$18.87 ฿605

-53.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.79 NZ$6.44

$1.82 ฿58.4

108.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 NZ$7.58

$3.21 ฿103

38.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 NZ$3.03

$0.88 ฿28.24

102.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.1 NZ$111

$18.89 ฿606

244.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 NZ$3.14

$1.41 ฿45.30

31.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.34 NZ$5.68

$1.30 ฿41.71

156.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.05 NZ$61.3

$8.20 ฿263

339.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.80

$1.23 ฿39.29

34.15%

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

$48.5K NZ$82.4K

$21.2K ฿678.9K

128.90%

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

$24.5K NZ$41.6K

$22.3K ฿715.3K

9.75%

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

$208 NZ$354

$69.9 ฿2,240

197.64%

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

$30.73 NZ$52.2

$14.07 ฿451

118.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.13 NZ$51.2

$17.70 ฿567

70.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.81 NZ$60.9

$41.41 ฿1,328

-13.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.26 NZ$20.84

$6.69 ฿215

83.26%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 NZ$18.48

$5.74 ฿184

89.37%

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

$753 NZ$1,281

$299 ฿9,593

151.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K NZ$20.2K

$15.0K ฿481.2K

-20.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.8 NZ$153

$54.8 ฿1,758

63.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.03 NZ$61.3

$26.35 ฿845

36.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 NZ$125

$84.7 ฿2,714

-13.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.1 NZ$114

$69.7 ฿2,236

-3.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$736 NZ$1,252

$427 ฿13.7K

72.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 NZ$1,141

$241 ฿7,718

178.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,375 NZ$2,338

$811 ฿26.0K

69.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 NZ$1,998

$498 ฿16.0K

135.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,328 NZ$5,658

$2,022 ฿64.8K

64.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,725 NZ$4,633

$1,524 ฿48.9K

78.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,702 NZ$4,593

$639 ฿20.5K

322.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.93

18.60%

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

Last update for New Plymouth: April 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $736 in New Plymouth versus $427 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 323% higher in New Plymouth, 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 $78 in New Plymouth versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $343 vs $246 – 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

New Plymouth vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New Plymouth costs about 111% 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 $2,765 per month in New Plymouth and $1,308 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 $753 per month in New Plymouth and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% more in New Plymouth, 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 $872, than in New Plymouth at $1,843. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in New Plymouth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $872 versus $1,843 in New Plymouth. 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, New Plymouth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.