Cost of Living Comparison Between Te Awamutu and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Te Awamutu and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Te Awamutu vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,568 per month in Te Awamutu vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,517 per month in Te Awamutu vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Te Awamutu costs about 86% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Te Awamutu sits 20% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 NZ$15.02

$1.98 ฿64.3

344.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.0 NZ$123

$18.80 ฿612

283.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 NZ$15.05

$7.75 ฿252

13.68%

Cappuccino

$2.97 NZ$5.07

$1.92 ฿62.5

54.69%

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

$2.15 NZ$3.67

$0.79 ฿25.79

172.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 NZ$2.95

$0.36 ฿11.62

380.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.24 NZ$7.24

$2.21 ฿72.1

91.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 NZ$8.28

$3.66 ฿119

32.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 NZ$2.59

$1.65 ฿53.8

-7.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 NZ$2.91

$1.63 ฿53.2

4.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.35

$1.19 ฿38.86

64.71%

Eggs

$6.61 NZ$11.30

$2.00 ฿65.1

230.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.69 NZ$14.83

$15.98 ฿520

-45.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 NZ$11.22

$3.03 ฿98.5

116.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.07 NZ$20.61

$10.86 ฿354

11.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 NZ$5.01

$2.76 ฿90.0

6.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 NZ$3.89

$1.18 ฿38.42

93.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 NZ$4.08

$1.64 ฿53.5

45.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 NZ$7.07

$1.52 ฿49.51

172.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 NZ$2.62

$1.38 ฿45.10

10.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 NZ$2.02

$1.19 ฿38.84

-0.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 NZ$3.38

$0.70 ฿22.86

182.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 NZ$0.85

$0.56 ฿18.13

-10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.21 NZ$43.05

$4.58 ฿149

450.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.94 NZ$16.98

$16.56 ฿539

-39.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 NZ$3.01

$1.83 ฿59.5

-3.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 NZ$3.63

$3.20 ฿104

-33.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.12 NZ$3.63

$0.88 ฿28.56

140.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.5 NZ$110

$18.72 ฿610

244.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.13 NZ$3.64

$1.36 ฿44.16

56.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 NZ$3.42

$1.34 ฿43.65

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.53 NZ$60.7

$7.84 ฿256

353.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 NZ$2.58

$1.23 ฿39.92

22.76%

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

$28.0K NZ$47.7K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

29.31%

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

$21.9K NZ$37.5K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-2.71%

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

$61.8 NZ$106

$70.5 ฿2,298

-12.38%

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

$29.98 NZ$51.2

$13.68 ฿445

119.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.97 NZ$78.5

$17.45 ฿568

163.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.46 NZ$64.0

$41.33 ฿1,346

-9.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.22 NZ$20.86

$6.96 ฿227

75.57%

Cinema Ticket

$8.02 NZ$13.70

$5.77 ฿188

38.99%

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

$919 NZ$1,569

$307 ฿10.0K

199.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K NZ$23.6K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-5.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 NZ$92.4

$55.8 ฿1,817

-2.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.71 NZ$40.49

$26.21 ฿854

-9.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 NZ$156

$85.8 ฿2,793

6.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 NZ$217

$72.2 ฿2,353

75.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$960 NZ$1,639

$430 ฿14.0K

123.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$772 NZ$1,318

$239 ฿7,774

223.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 NZ$2,645

$817 ฿26.6K

89.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,449 NZ$2,474

$511 ฿16.6K

183.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,513 NZ$7,706

$1,983 ฿64.6K

127.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,244 NZ$5,539

$1,484 ฿48.3K

118.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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 Te Awamutu: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $960 in Te Awamutu 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $72.0 in Te Awamutu versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 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

Te Awamutu vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Te Awamutu costs about 86% 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 $2,429 per month in Te Awamutu 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 $919 per month in Te Awamutu 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 14% more in Te Awamutu, 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 Te Awamutu at $1,619. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Te Awamutu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,619 in Te Awamutu. 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, Te Awamutu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.