Cost of Living Comparison Between Orange, NSW and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Orange, NSW and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,757 per month in Orange, NSW vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,718 per month in Orange, NSW vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,678 per month in Orange, NSW vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Orange, NSW costs about 106% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Orange, NSW sits 32% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.05 A$14.26

$2.04 ฿68.2

392.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.2 A$102

$18.71 ฿624

285.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 A$14.06

$7.86 ฿262

26.08%

Cappuccino

$3.37 A$4.79

$2.03 ฿67.7

66.01%

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

$2.58 A$3.66

$0.80 ฿26.64

222.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 A$3.30

$0.35 ฿11.68

565.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.69 A$9.49

$2.14 ฿71.5

212.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 A$9.88

$3.67 ฿122

89.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 A$1.92

$1.73 ฿57.6

-21.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 A$3.71

$1.57 ฿52.4

66.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 A$2.64

$1.20 ฿39.99

55.00%

Eggs

$3.70 A$5.25

$1.97 ฿65.8

87.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 A$11.22

$16.23 ฿541

-51.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.92 A$11.24

$3.06 ฿102

158.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.76 A$18.10

$10.80 ฿360

18.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 A$4.62

$2.77 ฿92.3

17.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 A$3.59

$1.17 ฿38.94

116.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 A$4.38

$1.71 ฿57.0

80.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 A$5.14

$1.59 ฿53.2

127.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 A$2.25

$1.39 ฿46.51

14.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 A$3.01

$1.16 ฿38.56

82.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 A$2.64

$0.66 ฿22.05

181.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 A$1.87

$0.52 ฿17.31

153.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.73 A$43.60

$4.65 ฿155

560.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.32 A$16.06

$17.78 ฿593

-36.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 A$3.58

$1.79 ฿59.6

40.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 A$7.41

$3.34 ฿111

56.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 A$3.48

$0.91 ฿30.27

170.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.1 A$92.4

$18.64 ฿622

249.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 A$3.25

$1.41 ฿47.04

62.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 A$2.54

$1.34 ฿44.70

33.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.44 A$57.4

$8.11 ฿270

398.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.63

$1.23 ฿41.16

-6.50%

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

$27.1K A$38.5K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

26.48%

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

$22.5K A$32.0K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

3.24%

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

$152 A$216

$71.3 ฿2,379

113.28%

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

$16.10 A$22.84

$14.01 ฿467

14.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.9 A$75.0

$17.93 ฿598

194.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.77 A$69.2

$40.82 ฿1,362

19.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.17 A$18.68

$6.88 ฿230

91.42%

Cinema Ticket

$12.84 A$18.22

$5.72 ฿191

124.48%

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

$1,760 A$2,498

$308 ฿10.3K

470.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K A$18.6K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-10.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 A$74.2

$55.8 ฿1,860

-6.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.3 A$79.9

$26.04 ฿869

116.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 A$138

$84.8 ฿2,829

14.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 A$161

$71.0 ฿2,368

59.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$859 A$1,219

$423 ฿14.1K

102.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$738 A$1,048

$242 ฿8,088

204.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,485 A$2,108

$797 ฿26.6K

86.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,273 A$1,806

$507 ฿16.9K

151.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,691 A$8,075

$1,918 ฿64.0K

196.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,578 A$6,496

$1,464 ฿48.8K

212.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,718 A$6,694

$595 ฿19.9K

692.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.29

25.80%

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

Last update for Orange, NSW: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $859 in Orange, NSW versus $423 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 693% higher in Orange, NSW, 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 $72.0 in Orange, NSW versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $244 – 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

Orange, NSW vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Orange, NSW 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 $2,636 per month in Orange, NSW and $1,279 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 $1,760 per month in Orange, NSW and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Orange, NSW, 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 Orange, NSW at $1,757. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Orange, NSW it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,757 in Orange, NSW. 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, Orange, NSW makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.