Cost of Living Comparison Between Rolleston and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Rolleston and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,821 per month in Rolleston vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,666 per month in Rolleston vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,511 per month in Rolleston vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Rolleston costs about 114% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Rolleston sits 37% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.63 NZ$28.19

$2.04 ฿68.2

715.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 NZ$121

$18.71 ฿624

282.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.81 NZ$16.62

$7.86 ฿262

24.81%

Cappuccino

$3.35 NZ$5.67

$2.03 ฿67.7

65.02%

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

$2.23 NZ$3.77

$0.80 ฿26.64

178.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 NZ$3.43

$0.35 ฿11.68

477.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 NZ$12.47

$2.14 ฿71.5

243.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.20 NZ$10.50

$3.67 ฿122

68.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 NZ$3.09

$1.73 ฿57.6

5.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 NZ$3.32

$1.57 ฿52.4

24.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 NZ$2.87

$1.20 ฿39.99

40.83%

Eggs

$5.62 NZ$9.53

$1.97 ฿65.8

185.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 NZ$14.17

$16.23 ฿541

-48.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.78 NZ$16.57

$3.06 ฿102

219.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 NZ$21.51

$10.80 ฿360

17.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 NZ$4.89

$2.77 ฿92.3

4.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 NZ$3.97

$1.17 ฿38.94

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 NZ$5.23

$1.71 ฿57.0

80.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.60 NZ$9.49

$1.59 ฿53.2

252.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 NZ$3.22

$1.39 ฿46.51

36.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 NZ$3.42

$1.16 ฿38.56

74.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 NZ$4.93

$0.66 ฿22.05

340.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NZ$1.79

$0.52 ฿17.31

103.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.07 NZ$40.80

$4.65 ฿155

417.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.51 NZ$14.42

$17.78 ฿593

-52.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.74 NZ$6.35

$1.79 ฿59.6

108.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 NZ$6.00

$3.34 ฿111

5.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.15 NZ$3.64

$0.91 ฿30.27

136.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.3 NZ$111

$18.64 ฿622

250.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 NZ$4.47

$1.41 ฿47.04

87.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 NZ$1.84

$1.34 ฿44.70

-18.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.08 NZ$51.0

$8.11 ฿270

270.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.80

$1.23 ฿41.16

34.15%

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

$20.1K NZ$34.1K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

-6.12%

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

$20.1K NZ$34.0K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

-8.05%

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

$99.7 NZ$169

$71.3 ฿2,379

39.74%

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

$31.21 NZ$52.9

$14.01 ฿467

122.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 NZ$89.4

$17.93 ฿598

194.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.05 NZ$62.8

$40.82 ฿1,362

-9.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.27 NZ$20.80

$6.88 ฿230

78.34%

Cinema Ticket

$9.79 NZ$16.59

$5.72 ฿191

71.15%

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

$592 NZ$1,003

$308 ฿10.3K

91.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,189 NZ$12.2K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-51.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 NZ$109

$55.8 ฿1,860

15.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.37 NZ$61.7

$26.04 ฿869

39.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 NZ$154

$84.8 ฿2,829

7.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NZ$205

$71.0 ฿2,368

70.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 NZ$1,650

$423 ฿14.1K

129.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$778 NZ$1,320

$242 ฿8,088

221.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,100 NZ$1,865

$797 ฿26.6K

37.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 NZ$1,736

$507 ฿16.9K

102.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,060 NZ$3,492

$1,918 ฿64.0K

7.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,872 NZ$3,173

$1,464 ฿48.8K

27.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,624 NZ$7,838

$595 ฿19.9K

677.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

34.80%

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

Last update for Rolleston: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Rolleston 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 677% higher in Rolleston, 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 Rolleston versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 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

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

Rolleston costs about 114% 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 $2,732 per month in Rolleston 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 $592 per month in Rolleston 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 33% more in Rolleston, 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 Rolleston at $1,821. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rolleston it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,821 in Rolleston. 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, Rolleston makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.