Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rarotonga and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,117 in Rarotonga, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Rarotonga outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Rarotonga

🇨🇰 Cook Islands

$1,117

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rarotonga and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rarotonga and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,117 per month in Rarotonga vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Rarotonga $1,117
Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $1,581 per month in Rarotonga vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Rarotonga $1,581
Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $2,045 per month in Rarotonga vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Rarotonga $2,045
Chiang Mai $1,979

Rarotonga costs about 19% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Rarotonga and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Rarotonga 18% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.31 NZ$25.18

$2.24 ฿75.7

538.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 NZ$89.8

$19.00 ฿642

168.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.70 NZ$10.03

$5.55 ฿188

2.70%

Cappuccino

$3.33 NZ$5.86

$1.67 ฿56.6

99.40%

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

$2.21 NZ$3.88

$0.64 ฿21.56

245.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 NZ$3.96

$0.31 ฿10.32

625.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.05 NZ$8.88

$2.36 ฿79.6

113.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 NZ$8.91

$3.66 ฿124

38.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.80 NZ$4.92

$1.95 ฿65.8

43.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 NZ$5.12

$1.44 ฿48.51

102.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

Eggs

$6.22 NZ$10.94

$2.28 ฿77.1

172.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.20 NZ$12.67

$16.45 ฿556

-56.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 NZ$20.22

$4.14 ฿140

177.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.19 NZ$19.70

$17.52 ฿592

-36.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.34 NZ$5.89

$1.61 ฿54.5

107.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 NZ$8.90

$2.78 ฿94.0

82.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.89 NZ$5.09

$0.87 ฿29.33

232.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$20.16 NZ$35.49

$1.16 ฿39.08

1637.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.69 NZ$59.3

$2.42 ฿81.8

1292.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 NZ$2.96

$1.45 ฿48.93

15.86%

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

$11.4K NZ$20.0K

$21.1K ฿711.2K

-45.99%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

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

$101 NZ$178

$62.2 ฿2,100

62.68%

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

$48.92 NZ$86.1

$12.17 ฿411

301.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 NZ$181

$20.12 ฿680

411.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 NZ$785

$482 ฿16.3K

-7.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 NZ$801

$309 ฿10.4K

47.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$683 NZ$1,202

$1,006 ฿34.0K

-32.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 NZ$1,114

$633 ฿21.4K

-0.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,985 NZ$7,013

$590 ฿19.9K

575.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Rarotonga: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Rarotonga

–

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Groceries & Markets

Rarotonga

–

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Rarotonga

–

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rarotonga

–

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Eating Out

Rarotonga

–

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Getting Around

Rarotonga

–

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Rarotonga

–

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $446 in Rarotonga versus $482 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 in Rarotonga are about 6.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51 in Rarotonga versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $153 in Rarotonga vs $234 in Chiang Mai – so Rarotonga wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇰 Rarotonga

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

19:35 7:35 PM

12:35 12:35 PM

17 h ahead of Rarotonga

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,373

127,240

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.568 USD

1 NZD = 0.511 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.76 NZD (1 NZD = 0.568 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 NZD (1 NZD = 0.511 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Rarotonga Chiang Mai 11,870 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Rarotonga
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Rarotonga vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rarotonga costs about 19% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,676 per month in Rarotonga and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $446 in Rarotonga and $482 in Chiang Mai. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,117 in Rarotonga and $936 in Chiang Mai. That’s a gap of about 19%.

Interestingly, groceries are about 35% cheaper in Rarotonga – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,117 in Rarotonga and $936 in Chiang Mai. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,117 in Rarotonga. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Rarotonga makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.