🙂A single person spends $1,672 per month in Colmar vs $1,738 in Canterbury, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,768 per month in Colmar vs $2,703 in Canterbury, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,865 per month in Colmar vs $3,669 in Canterbury, rent included.
🙂Colmar is about 4% cheaper than Canterbury, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Colmar and Canterbury sit above the global median – Colmar by 25%, Canterbury by 30%.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Colmar
Canterbury
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.29€14.88
$12.30NZ$20.76
40.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$72.7€62.6
$67.0NZ$113
8.47%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.39€9.80
$8.78NZ$14.82
29.73%
Cappuccino
$2.88€2.48
$3.27NZ$5.52
-11.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58€2.22
$2.26NZ$3.81
14.16%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86€1.60
$2.01NZ$3.39
-7.46%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.82€5.00
$4.15NZ$7.01
40.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.25€4.51
$6.00NZ$10.14
-12.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Colmar
Canterbury
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.32€1.14
$1.25NZ$2.10
5.60%
White Bread(500g)
$1.73€1.49
$1.89NZ$3.19
-8.47%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.13€0.97
$1.81NZ$3.06
-37.57%
Eggs
$2.47€2.12
$5.77NZ$9.75
-57.19%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$22.13€19.04
$6.64NZ$11.21
233.28%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.35€6.32
$10.56NZ$17.83
-30.40%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.54€9.93
$9.06NZ$15.29
27.37%
Apples(1kg)
$1.66€1.43
$2.29NZ$3.86
-27.51%
Banana(1kg)
$2.36€2.03
$2.36NZ$3.98
-
Oranges(1kg)
$1.75€1.50
$3.38NZ$5.70
-48.22%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.28€1.96
$4.40NZ$7.42
-48.18%
Potato(1kg)
$1.19€1.02
$1.18NZ$1.99
0.85%
Onion(1kg)
$0.80€0.69
$1.97NZ$3.33
-59.39%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.12€0.96
$1.77NZ$3.00
-36.72%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.32€0.28
$1.06NZ$1.79
-69.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.01€12.05
$23.74NZ$40.08
-40.99%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.93€5.96
$9.31NZ$15.72
-25.56%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.83€0.72
$2.56NZ$4.32
-67.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.94€3.39
$3.55NZ$6.00
10.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Colmar
Canterbury
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.70€1.46
$0.87NZ$1.47
95.40%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$59.3€51.0
$64.3NZ$108
-7.64%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.44€2.96
$2.75NZ$4.65
25.09%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02€0.88
$1.09NZ$1.84
-6.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$38.09€32.77
$29.73NZ$50.2
28.12%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.06€1.77
$1.70NZ$2.88
21.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.1K€32.8K
$19.8KNZ$33.4K
92.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.3K€32.1K
$25.2KNZ$42.6K
47.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Colmar
Canterbury
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$206€178
$102NZ$172
102.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.95€17.16
$36.14NZ$61.0
-44.80%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.26€27.75
$55.2NZ$93.1
-41.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Colmar
Canterbury
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.04€30.14
$36.87NZ$62.3
-4.96%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.56€15.96
$12.13NZ$20.47
53.01%
Cinema Ticket
$14.14€12.16
$9.47NZ$15.99
49.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Colmar
Canterbury
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,387€1,193
$578NZ$975
140.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,121€6,125
$12.0KNZ$20.2K
-40.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Colmar
Canterbury
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.8€50.6
$52.2NZ$88.1
12.65%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.37€25.27
$30.00NZ$50.7
-2.10%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$90.0€77.4
$96.8NZ$163
-6.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$127€109
$123NZ$209
2.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Colmar
Canterbury
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$747€643
$973NZ$1,644
-23.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$613€528
$791NZ$1,335
-22.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,894€1,629
$1,577NZ$2,663
20.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,474€1,268
$1,446NZ$2,442
1.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,131€3,553
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,157€2,716
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Colmar
Canterbury
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,077€1,787
$2,817NZ$4,756
-26.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.65
7.07
-48.37%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Colmar: May 31, 2026
Last update for Canterbury: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $747 in Colmar versus $973 in Canterbury. 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 36% higher in Canterbury, 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 $73.0 in Colmar versus $67.0 in Canterbury. Groceries tell a different story – $263 in Colmar vs $289 in Canterbury – so Colmar 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
Colmar vs Canterbury: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Colmar and Canterbury compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,672 in Colmar, $1,738 in Canterbury – roughly 4% apart. Canterbury costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Colmar compared to Canterbury?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,508 per month in Colmar and $2,606 in Canterbury. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Colmar and Canterbury?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Colmar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 10% more in Canterbury, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Colmar and $67.0 in Canterbury. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Colmar, where all-in costs run around $1,672, than in Canterbury at $1,738. In Colmar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Canterbury it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Colmar or Canterbury?
Families tend to lean toward Colmar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Colmar or Canterbury safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Colmar and Canterbury?
If budget matters most, go with Colmar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Canterbury makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.