Cost of Living Comparison Between North Shore and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between North Shore and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,794 per month in North Shore vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,743 per month in North Shore vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,693 per month in North Shore vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

North Shore costs about 111% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

North Shore sits 34% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.93 NZ$25.38

$1.96 ฿63.6

661.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.1 NZ$131

$18.81 ฿611

310.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.24 NZ$14.01

$7.92 ฿258

4.04%

Cappuccino

$3.36 NZ$5.72

$1.91 ฿62.2

75.92%

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

$2.17 NZ$3.69

$0.84 ฿27.25

158.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 NZ$3.14

$0.35 ฿11.44

428.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.38 NZ$12.55

$2.21 ฿71.7

233.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 NZ$12.63

$3.80 ฿124

95.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.94

$1.64 ฿53.2

5.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 NZ$2.53

$1.62 ฿52.8

-8.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 NZ$3.46

$1.18 ฿38.40

72.03%

Eggs

$6.11 NZ$10.38

$2.01 ฿65.4

203.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.63 NZ$14.67

$15.89 ฿517

-45.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 NZ$16.25

$3.01 ฿98.0

217.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 NZ$15.56

$10.77 ฿350

-15.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 NZ$4.69

$2.61 ฿85.0

5.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 NZ$3.59

$1.22 ฿39.65

72.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 NZ$5.44

$1.70 ฿55.4

88.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 NZ$6.76

$1.58 ฿51.2

151.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 NZ$3.40

$1.32 ฿42.89

51.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 NZ$2.81

$1.17 ฿38.01

41.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 NZ$3.22

$0.67 ฿21.85

182.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 NZ$1.20

$0.56 ฿18.21

26.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.27 NZ$41.27

$4.53 ฿147

435.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 NZ$17.28

$18.20 ฿592

-44.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 NZ$3.15

$1.83 ฿59.6

1.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 NZ$2.14

$3.23 ฿105

-60.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 NZ$4.08

$0.89 ฿28.83

169.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.0 NZ$110

$19.38 ฿630

235.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 NZ$3.54

$1.35 ฿43.95

54.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 NZ$3.36

$1.35 ฿43.79

45.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.76 NZ$59.1

$8.25 ฿268

321.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 NZ$2.87

$1.27 ฿41.40

33.07%

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

$27.9K NZ$47.5K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

32.08%

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

$22.0K NZ$37.3K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

-2.35%

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

$145 NZ$247

$70.2 ฿2,281

107.33%

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

$14.87 NZ$25.27

$13.77 ฿448

7.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.75 NZ$76.1

$17.60 ฿572

154.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.38 NZ$48.25

$41.57 ฿1,352

-31.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.18 NZ$20.70

$6.60 ฿215

84.55%

Cinema Ticket

$11.01 NZ$18.72

$5.78 ฿188

90.48%

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

$905 NZ$1,539

$306 ฿9,953

195.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K NZ$23.3K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-7.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.1 NZ$121

$54.4 ฿1,768

30.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 NZ$86.0

$26.14 ฿850

93.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 NZ$159

$84.5 ฿2,748

10.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 NZ$153

$69.4 ฿2,257

29.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 NZ$1,783

$424 ฿13.8K

147.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$800 NZ$1,361

$238 ฿7,743

236.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,910 NZ$4,948

$825 ฿26.8K

252.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,375 NZ$2,337

$515 ฿16.7K

166.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,451 NZ$12.7K

$2,049 ฿66.6K

263.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,175 NZ$10.5K

$1,523 ฿49.5K

305.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,016 NZ$5,128

$635 ฿20.6K

374.85%

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 North Shore: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,049 in North Shore 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 375% higher in North Shore, 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 $77.0 in North Shore versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 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

North Shore vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

North Shore 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 $2,691 per month in North Shore 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 $905 per month in North Shore 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 16% more in North Shore, 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 North Shore at $1,794. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in North Shore it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,794 in North Shore. 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, North Shore makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.