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 $1,852 per month in Rolleston vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,710 per month in Rolleston vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,568 per month in Rolleston vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Rolleston costs about 113% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Rolleston sits 38% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.11 NZ$29.21

$1.98 ฿64.3

764.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.4 NZ$122

$18.80 ฿612

279.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 NZ$16.56

$7.75 ฿252

25.16%

Cappuccino

$3.38 NZ$5.77

$1.92 ฿62.5

76.04%

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

$2.21 NZ$3.78

$0.79 ฿25.79

179.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 NZ$3.49

$0.36 ฿11.62

469.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 NZ$12.01

$2.21 ฿72.1

218.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 NZ$10.33

$3.66 ฿119

65.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 NZ$3.14

$1.65 ฿53.8

11.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 NZ$3.37

$1.63 ฿53.2

20.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 NZ$2.90

$1.19 ฿38.86

42.86%

Eggs

$5.80 NZ$9.91

$2.00 ฿65.1

190.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.50 NZ$14.51

$15.98 ฿520

-46.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.48 NZ$16.18

$3.03 ฿98.5

212.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.65 NZ$21.61

$10.86 ฿354

16.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 NZ$4.93

$2.76 ฿90.0

4.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 NZ$3.93

$1.18 ฿38.42

94.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 NZ$5.12

$1.64 ฿53.5

82.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.68 NZ$9.70

$1.52 ฿49.51

273.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 NZ$3.30

$1.38 ฿45.10

39.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 NZ$3.42

$1.19 ฿38.84

68.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.04 NZ$5.19

$0.70 ฿22.86

334.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 NZ$1.91

$0.56 ฿18.13

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.66 NZ$40.41

$4.58 ฿149

416.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.50 NZ$14.51

$16.56 ฿539

-48.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.71 NZ$6.34

$1.83 ฿59.5

102.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 NZ$6.19

$3.20 ฿104

13.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.07 NZ$3.54

$0.88 ฿28.56

135.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 NZ$110

$18.72 ฿610

243.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 NZ$4.76

$1.36 ฿44.16

105.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 NZ$1.89

$1.34 ฿43.65

-17.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.42 NZ$52.0

$7.84 ฿256

288.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.93

$1.23 ฿39.92

39.02%

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

$19.9K NZ$33.9K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-8.06%

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

$20.2K NZ$34.4K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-10.58%

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

$102 NZ$175

$70.5 ฿2,298

44.87%

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

$31.11 NZ$53.1

$13.68 ฿445

127.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 NZ$91.4

$17.45 ฿568

206.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.12 NZ$63.4

$41.33 ฿1,346

-10.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.17 NZ$20.78

$6.96 ฿227

74.86%

Cinema Ticket

$9.71 NZ$16.57

$5.77 ฿188

68.28%

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

$580 NZ$990

$307 ฿10.0K

88.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,105 NZ$12.1K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-51.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 NZ$109

$55.8 ฿1,817

14.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.83 NZ$61.2

$26.21 ฿854

36.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 NZ$160

$85.8 ฿2,793

9.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NZ$211

$72.2 ฿2,353

71.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$987 NZ$1,686

$430 ฿14.0K

129.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$775 NZ$1,323

$239 ฿7,774

224.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 NZ$1,868

$817 ฿26.6K

33.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,029 NZ$1,757

$511 ฿16.6K

101.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,446 NZ$7,592

$1,983 ฿64.6K

124.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,338 NZ$5,699

$1,484 ฿48.3K

124.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,530 NZ$7,735

$619 ฿20.2K

632.03%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $987 in Rolleston 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 632% 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 $71.0 in Rolleston versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $326 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

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

Rolleston costs about 113% 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 $2,779 per month in Rolleston 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 $580 per month in Rolleston 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 35% 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 $869, than in Rolleston at $1,852. 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 $869 versus $1,852 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.