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 $1,954 per month in New Plymouth vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,039 per month in New Plymouth vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,123 per month in New Plymouth vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

New Plymouth costs about 106% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

New Plymouth sits 42% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.90 NZ$25.33

$2.10 ฿68.8

609.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 NZ$119

$19.84 ฿651

252.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 NZ$17.71

$5.79 ฿190

79.97%

Cappuccino

$3.51 NZ$5.97

$1.83 ฿60.0

91.80%

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

$2.24 NZ$3.81

$0.78 ฿25.43

187.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 NZ$3.28

$0.31 ฿10.30

522.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.33 NZ$9.07

$2.34 ฿76.7

127.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 NZ$10.20

$3.70 ฿121

62.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 NZ$3.19

$2.03 ฿66.6

-7.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 NZ$2.82

$1.60 ฿52.4

3.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 NZ$2.94

$1.42 ฿46.43

21.83%

Eggs

$6.77 NZ$11.51

$2.18 ฿71.4

210.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 NZ$12.59

$15.91 ฿522

-53.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 NZ$21.91

$3.07 ฿101

319.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 NZ$20.75

$9.87 ฿324

23.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 NZ$4.62

$2.63 ฿86.2

3.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.36

$1.10 ฿35.94

80.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 NZ$5.46

$1.63 ฿53.5

96.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.60 NZ$11.23

$1.53 ฿50.2

331.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 NZ$4.31

$1.24 ฿40.84

104.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 NZ$2.50

$1.13 ฿37.11

30.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NZ$3.32

$0.74 ฿24.21

163.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 NZ$2.25

$0.50 ฿16.37

164.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.53 NZ$39.99

$4.28 ฿140

449.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.57 NZ$14.57

$17.97 ฿590

-52.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 NZ$5.24

$1.70 ฿55.7

81.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 NZ$6.71

$2.90 ฿95.0

36.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 NZ$3.03

$0.94 ฿30.91

89.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.5 NZ$132

$55.3 ฿1,814

40.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.48

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.53

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿78.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 NZ$2.99

$1.44 ฿47.22

22.22%

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

$46.3K NZ$78.7K

$21.2K ฿695.3K

118.58%

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

$24.9K NZ$42.3K

$27.3K ฿895.9K

-8.81%

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

$131 NZ$223

$64.9 ฿2,130

101.91%

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

$29.98 NZ$51.0

$13.35 ฿438

124.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.00 NZ$83.3

$20.83 ฿684

135.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.22 NZ$75.2

$40.42 ฿1,326

9.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$8.56 NZ$14.56

$6.71 ฿220

27.57%

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

$787 ฿25.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.9 NZ$148

$56.2 ฿1,845

54.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿819

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 NZ$158

$92.7 ฿3,042

0.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 NZ$200

$75.1 ฿2,465

56.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 NZ$1,609

$484 ฿15.9K

95.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$868 NZ$1,475

$287 ฿9,425

202.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,800 NZ$3,060

$910 ฿29.8K

97.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,640 NZ$2,788

$531 ฿17.4K

209.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,393 NZ$5,767

$1,980 ฿65.0K

71.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,739 NZ$4,655

$1,451 ฿47.6K

88.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,889 NZ$4,911

$605 ฿19.9K

377.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.93

5.57

6.46%

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

Last update for New Plymouth: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in New Plymouth versus $484 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 377% 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 $70.0 in New Plymouth versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $242 – 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 106% 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 $2,931 per month in New Plymouth and $1,426 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.

Public transport costs about 40% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 40% 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 $950, than in New Plymouth at $1,954. 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 $950 versus $1,954 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.