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 $1,892 per month in Dargaville vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,929 per month in Dargaville vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,966 per month in Dargaville vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dargaville costs about 124% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Dargaville sits 41% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.10 NZ$25.83

$1.95 ฿63.2

674.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 NZ$135

$18.43 ฿597

328.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.60 NZ$16.41

$7.50 ฿243

28.00%

Cappuccino

$3.44 NZ$5.88

$1.93 ฿62.6

78.24%

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

$2.33 NZ$3.99

$0.78 ฿25.22

198.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 NZ$3.56

$0.32 ฿10.48

550.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 NZ$12.17

$2.15 ฿69.6

230.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.22 NZ$10.63

$3.71 ฿120

67.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 NZ$3.22

$1.71 ฿55.5

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 NZ$3.28

$1.56 ฿50.6

23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 NZ$3.16

$1.18 ฿38.27

56.78%

Eggs

$6.24 NZ$10.67

$1.98 ฿64.2

215.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 NZ$13.89

$16.04 ฿520

-49.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.79 NZ$16.75

$3.17 ฿103

208.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 NZ$21.70

$10.94 ฿355

16.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 NZ$4.74

$2.63 ฿85.1

5.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 NZ$3.75

$1.17 ฿37.82

88.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 NZ$5.24

$1.65 ฿53.3

85.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 NZ$7.73

$1.54 ฿49.78

193.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 NZ$3.43

$1.38 ฿44.59

44.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.24

$1.17 ฿37.75

61.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 NZ$3.92

$0.66 ฿21.37

246.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 NZ$1.97

$0.51 ฿16.64

125.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.50 NZ$41.89

$4.52 ฿146

442.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.89 NZ$18.62

$18.32 ฿594

-40.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 NZ$4.40

$1.80 ฿58.2

42.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 NZ$6.08

$3.18 ฿103

11.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.14 NZ$3.66

$0.90 ฿29.13

137.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 NZ$111

$19.00 ฿616

243.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 NZ$4.67

$1.41 ฿45.76

93.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.15

$1.31 ฿42.39

40.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.55 NZ$60.8

$8.09 ฿262

339.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 NZ$2.86

$1.28 ฿41.31

30.47%

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

$28.3K NZ$48.3K

$21.3K ฿689.9K

32.75%

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

$21.9K NZ$37.4K

$21.7K ฿703.2K

0.86%

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

$143 NZ$244

$69.2 ฿2,242

106.04%

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

$36.09 NZ$61.7

$13.97 ฿453

158.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 NZ$89.1

$17.95 ฿582

190.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.59 NZ$62.6

$42.31 ฿1,371

-13.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.93 NZ$20.39

$6.66 ฿216

79.13%

Cinema Ticket

$10.66 NZ$18.23

$5.92 ฿192

80.07%

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

$734 NZ$1,255

$299 ฿9,694

145.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.6K

$14.8K ฿481.1K

-18.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 NZ$117

$56.2 ฿1,820

22.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.35 NZ$63.9

$26.94 ฿873

38.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 NZ$161

$84.9 ฿2,750

10.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 NZ$199

$71.8 ฿2,327

62.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$972 NZ$1,661

$435 ฿14.1K

123.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 NZ$1,317

$240 ฿7,771

221.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 NZ$2,697

$798 ฿25.8K

97.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,421 NZ$2,431

$498 ฿16.1K

185.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,973 NZ$8,504

$1,995 ฿64.6K

149.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,049 NZ$5,213

$1,532 ฿49.6K

99.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.4K

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $972 in Dargaville versus $435 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 $79 in Dargaville versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $244 – 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 124% 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 $2,839 per month in Dargaville and $1,267 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 $734 per month in Dargaville and $299 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 $845, than in Dargaville at $1,892. 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 $845 versus $1,892 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.