Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Te Awamutu and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $2,024 in Te Awamutu, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

91

Cost of Living Index in Te Awamutu
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Te Awamutu Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Te Awamutu

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$2,024

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Te Awamutu 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 Te Awamutu and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,024 per month in Te Awamutu vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Te Awamutu $2,024
Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $2,980 per month in Te Awamutu vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Te Awamutu $2,980
Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $3,935 per month in Te Awamutu vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Te Awamutu $3,935
Chiang Mai $1,979

Te Awamutu costs about 116% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Te Awamutu sits 49% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.01 NZ$21.32

$2.24 ฿75.6

436.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.2 NZ$121

$19.00 ฿641

259.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.36 NZ$14.84

$5.55 ฿187

50.63%

Cappuccino

$3.50 NZ$6.21

$1.67 ฿56.5

109.58%

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

$2.06 NZ$3.66

$0.64 ฿21.54

221.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 NZ$3.13

$0.31 ฿10.31

470.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 NZ$10.88

$2.36 ฿79.5

159.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.62 NZ$9.98

$3.66 ฿124

53.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 NZ$2.68

$1.95 ฿65.7

-22.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 NZ$2.24

$1.44 ฿48.46

-12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 NZ$3.42

$1.33 ฿45.03

44.36%

Eggs

$5.27 NZ$9.36

$2.28 ฿77.1

131.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.61 NZ$9.96

$16.45 ฿555

-65.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.23 NZ$12.83

$2.78 ฿93.9

160.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.80 NZ$20.94

$9.31 ฿314

26.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 NZ$4.61

$2.35 ฿79.4

10.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 NZ$3.85

$0.97 ฿32.79

123.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 NZ$5.29

$1.60 ฿53.9

86.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.70 NZ$10.11

$1.50 ฿50.6

280.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.68

$1.28 ฿43.11

61.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 NZ$2.46

$1.10 ฿37.18

26.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 NZ$3.51

$0.71 ฿23.82

178.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 NZ$1.64

$0.49 ฿16.36

87.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.25 NZ$46.60

$4.14 ฿140

534.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 NZ$18.12

$17.52 ฿591

-41.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 NZ$5.09

$1.61 ฿54.5

78.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 NZ$6.16

$2.78 ฿93.9

24.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.19 NZ$3.89

$0.87 ฿29.30

151.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 NZ$191

$54.1 ฿1,825

99.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 NZ$3.98

$1.16 ฿39.04

93.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 NZ$3.51

$0.53 ฿17.80

273.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.64 NZ$58.0

$2.42 ฿81.7

1248.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.93

$1.45 ฿48.88

13.79%

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

$27.1K NZ$48.2K

$21.1K ฿710.5K

28.82%

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

$22.3K NZ$39.5K

$26.9K ฿909.0K

-17.35%

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

$58.3 NZ$103

$62.2 ฿2,098

-6.26%

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

$26.24 NZ$46.58

$12.17 ฿411

115.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 NZ$91.5

$20.12 ฿679

156.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 NZ$73.3

$37.31 ฿1,259

10.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 NZ$21.50

$6.49 ฿219

86.59%

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

$671 NZ$1,192

$736 ฿24.8K

-8.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K NZ$35.0K

$14.8K ฿498.2K

33.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 NZ$110

$53.4 ฿1,801

15.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.72 NZ$68.8

$24.64 ฿831

57.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 NZ$169

$91.5 ฿3,087

4.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 NZ$192

$71.9 ฿2,427

49.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$888 NZ$1,576

$482 ฿16.3K

84.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 NZ$1,875

$309 ฿10.4K

241.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,656 NZ$2,940

$1,006 ฿33.9K

64.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,650 NZ$2,929

$633 ฿21.4K

160.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,119 NZ$7,313

$2,363 ฿79.7K

74.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,834 NZ$6,808

$1,589 ฿53.6K

141.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.37

5.57

-3.59%

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

Last update for Te Awamutu: 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

Te Awamutu

$1.1K 52.2%

Chiang Mai

$309 33% 70.8% $747

Groceries & Markets

Te Awamutu

$281 13.9%

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1% 16.6% $47

Eating Out

Te Awamutu

$220 10.9%

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3% 64.8% $143

Clothing & Footwear

Te Awamutu

$137 6.8%

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6% 20.5% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Te Awamutu

$136 6.7%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1% 30.6% $42

Getting Around

Te Awamutu

$129 6.4%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 52.3% $67

Sport & Entertainment

Te Awamutu

$66 3.2%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 23.3% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $888 in Te Awamutu 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Te Awamutu versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $234 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Te Awamutu

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

01:18 1:18 AM

19:18 7:18 PM

6 h behind Te Awamutu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,350

127,240

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.563 USD

1 NZD = 0.504 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 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 November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 1.78 NZD (1 NZD = 0.563 USD). 1 EUR = 1.98 NZD (1 NZD = 0.504 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Te Awamutu Chiang Mai 10,150 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Te Awamutu
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

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

Te Awamutu costs about 116% 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 $3,037 per month in Te Awamutu and $1,403 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $888 in Te Awamutu.

Kindergarten costs $671 per month in Te Awamutu and $736 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Te Awamutu, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,024 in Te Awamutu 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 $2,024 in Te Awamutu. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Chiang Mai is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 54% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.