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 $1,815 per month in North Shore vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,814 per month in North Shore vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,812 per month in North Shore vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

North Shore costs about 109% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.88 NZ$25.41

$1.98 ฿64.3

651.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.9 NZ$131

$18.80 ฿612

309.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 NZ$14.04

$7.75 ฿252

6.06%

Cappuccino

$3.38 NZ$5.77

$1.92 ฿62.5

76.04%

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

$2.12 NZ$3.63

$0.79 ฿25.79

168.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 NZ$3.04

$0.36 ฿11.62

394.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.18 NZ$12.27

$2.21 ฿72.1

224.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.44 NZ$12.70

$3.66 ฿119

103.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 NZ$2.94

$1.65 ฿53.8

4.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 NZ$2.66

$1.63 ฿53.2

-4.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.40

$1.19 ฿38.86

67.23%

Eggs

$5.84 NZ$9.98

$2.00 ฿65.1

192.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 NZ$14.66

$15.98 ฿520

-46.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 NZ$15.98

$3.03 ฿98.5

208.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.80 NZ$15.02

$10.86 ฿354

-18.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 NZ$4.76

$2.76 ฿90.0

1.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.54

$1.18 ฿38.42

75.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.33 NZ$5.69

$1.64 ฿53.5

103.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 NZ$7.05

$1.52 ฿49.51

171.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 NZ$3.53

$1.38 ฿45.10

49.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 NZ$2.83

$1.19 ฿38.84

38.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 NZ$3.26

$0.70 ฿22.86

172.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 NZ$1.14

$0.56 ฿18.13

19.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.15 NZ$42.94

$4.58 ฿149

449.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.68 NZ$16.52

$16.56 ฿539

-41.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 NZ$3.14

$1.83 ฿59.5

0.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 NZ$2.10

$3.20 ฿104

-61.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 NZ$4.07

$0.88 ฿28.56

171.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.3 NZ$111

$18.72 ฿610

248.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 NZ$3.55

$1.36 ฿44.16

52.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 NZ$3.26

$1.34 ฿43.65

42.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.84 NZ$59.5

$7.84 ฿256

344.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 NZ$2.75

$1.23 ฿39.92

30.89%

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

$28.2K NZ$48.1K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

30.31%

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

$22.3K NZ$38.1K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-0.92%

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

$146 NZ$249

$70.5 ฿2,298

106.41%

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

$15.12 NZ$25.83

$13.68 ฿445

10.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.64 NZ$74.5

$17.45 ฿568

150.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.87 NZ$49.30

$41.33 ฿1,346

-30.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.12 NZ$20.70

$6.96 ฿227

74.14%

Cinema Ticket

$10.97 NZ$18.74

$5.77 ฿188

90.12%

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

$896 NZ$1,530

$307 ฿10.0K

191.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K NZ$23.1K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-7.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 NZ$122

$55.8 ฿1,817

27.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.17 NZ$84.0

$26.21 ฿854

87.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 NZ$160

$85.8 ฿2,793

9.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.2 NZ$154

$72.2 ฿2,353

24.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 NZ$1,810

$430 ฿14.0K

146.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$792 NZ$1,353

$239 ฿7,774

231.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,930 NZ$5,004

$817 ฿26.6K

258.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,385 NZ$2,365

$511 ฿16.6K

171.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,390 NZ$12.6K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

272.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,095 NZ$10.4K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

310.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,927 NZ$4,999

$619 ฿20.2K

373.05%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in North Shore versus $430 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 373% 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: $280 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

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

North Shore costs about 109% 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 $2,723 per month in North Shore and $1,303 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 $896 per month in North Shore and $307 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 $869, than in North Shore at $1,815. 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 $869 versus $1,815 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.