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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,967 per month in Whanganui vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,974 per month in Whanganui vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,982 per month in Whanganui vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Whanganui costs about 111% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Whanganui sits 44% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.39 NZ$25.16

$2.08 ฿69.5

591.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.7 NZ$118

$19.61 ฿655

245.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 NZ$15.53

$5.67 ฿189

56.61%

Cappuccino

$3.41 NZ$5.97

$1.81 ฿60.3

88.40%

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

$2.30 NZ$4.02

$0.77 ฿25.65

198.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 NZ$3.04

$0.35 ฿11.53

397.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 NZ$10.07

$2.21 ฿73.9

160.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 NZ$9.70

$3.79 ฿127

46.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 NZ$2.45

$2.05 ฿68.4

-31.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 NZ$1.72

$1.51 ฿50.6

-35.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 NZ$2.04

$1.40 ฿46.69

-17.14%

Eggs

$5.47 NZ$9.56

$2.26 ฿75.4

142.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.81 NZ$10.16

$16.19 ฿540

-64.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.47 NZ$16.56

$2.90 ฿96.7

226.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 NZ$27.57

$9.42 ฿314

67.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.92

$2.68 ฿89.4

-16.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 NZ$3.51

$1.09 ฿36.37

84.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 NZ$3.35

$1.62 ฿54.0

18.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.51 NZ$6.13

$1.46 ฿48.74

140.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 NZ$3.04

$1.28 ฿42.65

35.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 NZ$2.32

$1.06 ฿35.31

25.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 NZ$3.64

$0.72 ฿23.94

188.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 NZ$0.92

$0.53 ฿17.56

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.08 NZ$42.10

$4.23 ฿141

469.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.19 NZ$17.82

$18.29 ฿611

-44.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 NZ$4.61

$1.63 ฿54.4

61.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 NZ$4.09

$2.90 ฿96.8

-19.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 NZ$2.91

$0.88 ฿29.32

88.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 NZ$170

$53.8 ฿1,795

80.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 NZ$3.38

$1.17 ฿39.14

64.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.22

$0.58 ฿19.30

217.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.91 NZ$61.0

$2.39 ฿79.6

1360.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 NZ$2.82

$1.45 ฿48.41

11.03%

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

$25.5K NZ$44.6K

$21.0K ฿701.4K

21.47%

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

$26.3K NZ$45.9K

$26.4K ฿882.0K

-0.54%

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

$201 NZ$352

$63.7 ฿2,125

216.43%

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

$32.91 NZ$57.5

$12.89 ฿430

155.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.14 NZ$84.2

$20.52 ฿685

134.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.64 NZ$69.3

$39.02 ฿1,302

1.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$5.85 NZ$10.22

$6.58 ฿220

-11.09%

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

$1,091 NZ$1,908

$784 ฿26.2K

39.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K NZ$22.9K

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-10.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.5 NZ$142

$55.1 ฿1,840

47.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.22 NZ$51.1

$24.74 ฿826

18.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 NZ$181

$94.1 ฿3,142

9.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 NZ$280

$74.0 ฿2,469

116.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$945 NZ$1,651

$490 ฿16.4K

92.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 NZ$1,495

$288 ฿9,620

196.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,660 NZ$2,902

$891 ฿29.8K

86.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 NZ$2,606

$521 ฿17.4K

186.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,176 NZ$7,300

$1,974 ฿65.9K

111.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,147 NZ$5,502

$1,444 ฿48.2K

117.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

5.57

-3.23%

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

Last update for Whanganui: September 15, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $945 in Whanganui versus $490 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 $68.0 in Whanganui versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 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

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

Whanganui costs about 111% 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 $2,950 per month in Whanganui and $1,398 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 $1,091 per month in Whanganui and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Whanganui, 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 $932, than in Whanganui at $1,967. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Whanganui it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,967 in Whanganui. 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, Whanganui makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.