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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,848 per month in Dargaville vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,896 per month in Dargaville vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,944 per month in Dargaville vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dargaville costs about 118% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Dargaville sits 38% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.24 NZ$26.38

$2.03 ฿68.6

650.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 NZ$136

$18.71 ฿633

318.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.75 NZ$16.88

$7.84 ฿265

24.36%

Cappuccino

$3.44 NZ$5.96

$1.93 ฿65.1

78.24%

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

$2.35 NZ$4.08

$0.83 ฿28.10

183.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 NZ$3.59

$0.35 ฿11.84

491.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.38 NZ$12.78

$2.22 ฿75.1

232.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.46 NZ$11.18

$3.79 ฿128

70.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 NZ$3.25

$1.65 ฿55.6

13.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 NZ$3.30

$1.55 ฿52.4

22.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 NZ$3.20

$1.18 ฿39.93

56.78%

Eggs

$6.32 NZ$10.94

$2.01 ฿68.1

214.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.11 NZ$14.04

$16.16 ฿546

-49.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.82 NZ$17.01

$3.03 ฿102

224.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.99 NZ$22.50

$10.84 ฿366

19.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 NZ$4.67

$2.68 ฿90.6

0.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 NZ$3.82

$1.22 ฿41.28

80.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 NZ$5.20

$1.63 ฿55.0

84.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.73 NZ$8.19

$1.53 ฿51.7

209.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 NZ$3.57

$1.34 ฿45.26

53.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.39

$1.21 ฿41.00

61.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 NZ$3.90

$0.70 ฿23.72

221.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 NZ$1.92

$0.53 ฿17.76

109.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.73 NZ$41.09

$4.69 ฿158

405.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.16 NZ$15.87

$17.71 ฿599

-48.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 NZ$4.34

$1.85 ฿62.4

35.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 NZ$6.25

$3.21 ฿109

12.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.16 NZ$3.74

$0.89 ฿30.12

142.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.7 NZ$110

$18.76 ฿634

239.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 NZ$4.56

$1.41 ฿47.57

86.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 NZ$3.23

$1.29 ฿43.67

44.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.79 NZ$60.2

$7.79 ฿263

346.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.87

$1.29 ฿43.74

28.68%

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

$28.3K NZ$49.0K

$21.8K ฿736.0K

29.94%

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

$22.3K NZ$38.6K

$21.7K ฿733.4K

2.66%

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

$141 NZ$245

$70.0 ฿2,366

101.93%

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

$35.39 NZ$61.3

$14.19 ฿480

149.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 NZ$90.2

$17.42 ฿589

198.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.13 NZ$64.3

$41.64 ฿1,408

-10.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.16 NZ$21.05

$6.89 ฿233

76.49%

Cinema Ticket

$10.92 NZ$18.92

$5.78 ฿195

88.93%

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

$752 NZ$1,302

$300 ฿10.1K

150.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K NZ$21.1K

$14.5K ฿491.0K

-16.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 NZ$118

$55.4 ฿1,872

22.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.02 NZ$64.1

$26.31 ฿890

40.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 NZ$165

$84.8 ฿2,868

12.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 NZ$201

$70.5 ฿2,383

64.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$988 NZ$1,711

$425 ฿14.4K

132.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$786 NZ$1,360

$235 ฿7,947

234.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 NZ$2,730

$802 ฿27.1K

96.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,421 NZ$2,460

$516 ฿17.4K

175.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,321 NZ$7,482

$1,926 ฿65.1K

124.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,177 NZ$5,500

$1,451 ฿49.1K

118.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

34.80%

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

Last update for Dargaville: July 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $988 in Dargaville versus $425 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 $78.0 in Dargaville versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $316 vs $242 – 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

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

Dargaville costs about 118% 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 $2,772 per month in Dargaville and $1,271 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 $752 per month in Dargaville and $300 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Dargaville, 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 $847, than in Dargaville at $1,848. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dargaville it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $1,848 in Dargaville. 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, Dargaville makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.