Cost of Living Comparison Between Canterbury and Chatham-Kent Cost of Living Comparison Between Canterbury and Chatham-Kent

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,721 per month in Canterbury vs $2,102 in Chatham-Kent, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,700 per month in Canterbury vs $3,058 in Chatham-Kent, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,679 per month in Canterbury vs $4,015 in Chatham-Kent, rent included.

Canterbury is about 18% cheaper than Chatham-Kent, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Canterbury and Chatham-Kent sit above the global median – Canterbury by 29%, Chatham-Kent by 57%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.89 NZ$20.32

$14.47 CA$20.37

-17.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.4 NZ$115

$65.7 CA$92.4

2.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.06 NZ$15.48

$9.35 CA$13.15

-3.10%

Cappuccino

$3.39 NZ$5.80

$3.00 CA$4.22

13.00%

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

$2.22 NZ$3.80

$1.55 CA$2.17

43.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 NZ$3.58

$1.59 CA$2.24

31.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.18 NZ$7.15

$5.39 CA$7.58

-22.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 NZ$10.14

$6.04 CA$8.49

-1.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 NZ$2.02

$2.16 CA$3.03

-45.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 NZ$3.28

$2.27 CA$3.19

-15.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 NZ$3.14

$2.70 CA$3.79

-31.85%

Eggs

$5.72 NZ$9.76

$3.06 CA$4.30

86.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.68 NZ$11.41

$8.61 CA$12.12

-22.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.54 NZ$18.01

$11.50 CA$16.19

-8.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.81 NZ$15.06

$11.60 CA$16.32

-24.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.82

$4.06 CA$5.72

-44.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 NZ$3.88

$1.25 CA$1.75

81.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 NZ$5.81

$3.25 CA$4.57

4.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 NZ$7.86

$3.70 CA$5.21

24.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 NZ$2.10

$2.35 CA$3.31

-47.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 NZ$3.51

$2.85 CA$4.00

-28.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 NZ$3.03

$1.95 CA$2.75

-8.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NZ$1.83

$1.63 CA$2.30

-34.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.81 NZ$40.68

$10.86 CA$15.28

119.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.86 NZ$15.14

$9.81 CA$13.81

-9.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 NZ$4.37

$1.19 CA$1.67

115.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 NZ$6.08

$2.74 CA$3.86

29.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 NZ$1.57

$1.81 CA$2.54

-49.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.4 NZ$108

$63.4 CA$89.2

0.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 NZ$4.75

$2.26 CA$3.18

23.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 NZ$1.95

$1.72 CA$2.42

-33.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.74 NZ$50.8

$18.59 CA$26.16

59.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.95

$1.05 CA$1.48

64.76%

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

$20.2K NZ$34.6K

$25.2K CA$35.4K

-19.59%

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

$25.1K NZ$42.9K

$19.7K CA$27.7K

27.80%

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

$103 NZ$176

$181 CA$255

-43.09%

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

$36.20 NZ$61.8

$36.94 CA$52.0

-2.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 NZ$94.8

$54.9 CA$77.2

1.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.64 NZ$62.6

$14.88 CA$20.93

146.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.25 NZ$20.93

Cinema Ticket

$9.90 NZ$16.92

$10.46 CA$14.72

-5.35%

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

$585 NZ$1,000

$565 CA$795

3.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.5K

$10.4K CA$14.7K

15.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 NZ$89.2

$54.3 CA$76.4

-3.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.35 NZ$50.1

$25.62 CA$36.05

14.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 NZ$163

$70.3 CA$98.9

35.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NZ$207

$89.3 CA$126

35.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 NZ$1,621

$1,413 CA$1,988

-32.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$785 NZ$1,341

$1,014 CA$1,427

-22.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,542 NZ$2,635

$1,873 CA$2,636

-17.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,454 NZ$2,485

$1,592 CA$2,240

-8.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,169 NZ$7,123

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,094 NZ$5,285

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,770 NZ$4,732

$3,059 CA$4,305

-9.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

5.74

23.17%

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

Last update for Canterbury: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chatham-Kent: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $949 in Canterbury versus $1,413 in Chatham-Kent. 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 10% higher in Chatham-Kent, 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 $67.0 in Canterbury versus $66.0 in Chatham-Kent. Groceries tell a different story – $287 in Canterbury vs $316 in Chatham-Kent – so Canterbury wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Canterbury vs Chatham-Kent: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,721 in Canterbury, $2,102 in Chatham-Kent – roughly 22% apart. Chatham-Kent costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,582 per month in Canterbury and $3,152 in Chatham-Kent. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Canterbury, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chatham-Kent, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Canterbury and $66.0 in Chatham-Kent. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Canterbury, where all-in costs run around $1,721, than in Chatham-Kent at $2,102. In Canterbury it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chatham-Kent it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Canterbury – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Canterbury. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chatham-Kent makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.