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 $1,738 per month in Canterbury vs $2,042 in Chatham-Kent, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,703 per month in Canterbury vs $3,031 in Chatham-Kent, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,669 per month in Canterbury vs $4,021 in Chatham-Kent, rent included.

Canterbury is about 15% cheaper than Chatham-Kent, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Canterbury and Chatham-Kent sit above the global median – Canterbury by 30%, Chatham-Kent by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 NZ$20.94

$14.50 CA$20.14

-15.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.0 NZ$114

$65.7 CA$91.3

2.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 NZ$14.95

$9.54 CA$13.25

-7.97%

Cappuccino

$3.27 NZ$5.56

$3.10 CA$4.31

5.48%

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

$2.26 NZ$3.84

$1.57 CA$2.18

43.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 NZ$3.42

$1.60 CA$2.22

25.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.15 NZ$7.07

$5.63 CA$7.82

-26.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 NZ$10.22

$6.03 CA$8.38

-0.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 NZ$2.12

$2.24 CA$3.11

-44.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 NZ$3.22

$2.23 CA$3.10

-15.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 NZ$3.08

$2.69 CA$3.74

-32.71%

Eggs

$5.77 NZ$9.83

$3.03 CA$4.21

90.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.64 NZ$11.31

$8.32 CA$11.56

-20.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.56 NZ$17.98

$11.64 CA$16.17

-9.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.06 NZ$15.42

$11.93 CA$16.57

-24.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 NZ$3.90

$4.03 CA$5.60

-43.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 NZ$4.01

$1.17 CA$1.63

101.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 NZ$5.75

$3.32 CA$4.61

1.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 NZ$7.49

$3.65 CA$5.07

20.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 NZ$2.01

$2.36 CA$3.28

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 NZ$3.36

$2.81 CA$3.91

-29.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 NZ$3.02

$2.03 CA$2.82

-12.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NZ$1.81

$1.58 CA$2.20

-32.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.74 NZ$40.43

$11.11 CA$15.44

113.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 NZ$15.85

$10.19 CA$14.15

-8.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 NZ$4.35

$1.18 CA$1.64

116.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 NZ$6.05

$2.76 CA$3.83

28.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 NZ$1.48

$1.81 CA$2.52

-51.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 NZ$109

$61.7 CA$85.7

4.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 NZ$4.69

$2.18 CA$3.03

26.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 NZ$1.85

$1.68 CA$2.34

-35.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.73 NZ$50.6

$18.64 CA$25.90

59.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 NZ$2.90

$1.06 CA$1.47

60.38%

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

$19.8K NZ$33.7K

$25.0K CA$34.7K

-20.80%

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

$25.2K NZ$43.0K

$20.4K CA$28.3K

23.93%

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

$102 NZ$174

$187 CA$260

-45.54%

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

$36.14 NZ$61.6

$37.25 CA$51.8

-2.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 NZ$94.0

$55.7 CA$77.3

-0.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.87 NZ$62.8

$14.95 CA$20.78

146.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.13 NZ$20.65

Cinema Ticket

$9.47 NZ$16.13

$10.15 CA$14.10

-6.70%

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

$578 NZ$984

$547 CA$760

5.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.4K

$10.3K CA$14.3K

16.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 NZ$88.8

$53.0 CA$73.6

-1.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.00 NZ$51.1

$26.11 CA$36.28

14.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 NZ$165

$69.3 CA$96.3

39.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NZ$210

$88.9 CA$123

38.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 NZ$1,658

$1,464 CA$2,035

-33.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$791 NZ$1,347

$1,029 CA$1,430

-23.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 NZ$2,686

$1,833 CA$2,547

-13.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,446 NZ$2,463

$1,650 CA$2,293

-12.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,817 NZ$4,798

$3,169 CA$4,404

-11.11%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chatham-Kent: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Canterbury versus $1,464 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 13% 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 – $289 in Canterbury vs $317 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: $1,738 in Canterbury, $2,042 in Chatham-Kent – roughly 17% apart. Chatham-Kent costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,606 per month in Canterbury and $3,062 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 $1,738, than in Chatham-Kent at $2,042. 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.