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 $1,901 per month in Dargaville vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,947 per month in Dargaville vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,992 per month in Dargaville vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dargaville costs about 119% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Dargaville sits 42% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.30 NZ$26.37

$1.94 ฿63.9

688.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 NZ$136

$18.64 ฿613

323.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 NZ$16.74

$7.82 ฿257

24.30%

Cappuccino

$3.39 NZ$5.84

$1.95 ฿64.2

73.85%

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

$2.28 NZ$3.93

$0.85 ฿27.95

168.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 NZ$3.58

$0.35 ฿11.66

494.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.07 NZ$12.18

$2.13 ฿70.1

231.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.43 NZ$11.08

$3.73 ฿123

72.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 NZ$3.12

$1.71 ฿56.3

5.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 NZ$3.40

$1.63 ฿53.5

20.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.26

$1.14 ฿37.39

65.79%

Eggs

$6.01 NZ$10.35

$1.93 ฿63.5

211.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.06 NZ$13.89

$16.21 ฿533

-50.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.39 NZ$16.17

$3.12 ฿103

200.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.61 NZ$21.72

$10.90 ฿358

15.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 NZ$4.80

$2.75 ฿90.6

1.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 NZ$3.75

$1.21 ฿39.78

79.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 NZ$5.41

$1.62 ฿53.3

93.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.73 NZ$8.14

$1.59 ฿52.2

197.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 NZ$3.52

$1.40 ฿46.00

45.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 NZ$3.23

$1.17 ฿38.41

59.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 NZ$3.79

$0.66 ฿21.74

233.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 NZ$1.99

$0.53 ฿17.33

116.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.25 NZ$41.78

$4.69 ฿154

417.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 NZ$18.58

$18.66 ฿613

-42.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 NZ$4.31

$1.80 ฿59.2

38.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 NZ$6.43

$3.23 ฿106

15.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 NZ$3.67

$0.90 ฿29.44

136.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.1 NZ$110

$19.21 ฿632

233.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 NZ$4.57

$1.41 ฿46.21

87.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 NZ$3.21

$1.29 ฿42.39

44.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.60 NZ$61.3

$7.84 ฿258

354.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.85

$1.27 ฿41.85

30.71%

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

$28.7K NZ$49.5K

$21.3K ฿699.4K

35.02%

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

$21.9K NZ$37.7K

$22.2K ฿730.1K

-1.50%

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

$144 NZ$248

$69.1 ฿2,270

108.12%

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

$36.37 NZ$62.7

$14.08 ฿463

158.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 NZ$89.2

$18.00 ฿592

187.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.90 NZ$63.6

$41.06 ฿1,350

-10.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.16 NZ$20.95

$6.96 ฿229

74.71%

Cinema Ticket

$10.64 NZ$18.32

$5.92 ฿194

79.73%

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

$745 NZ$1,284

$299 ฿9,829

149.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K NZ$20.8K

$15.0K ฿491.5K

-19.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.5 NZ$118

$54.7 ฿1,798

25.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.60 NZ$64.8

$26.77 ฿880

40.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.5 NZ$166

$85.0 ฿2,793

13.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 NZ$200

$70.6 ฿2,320

64.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$961 NZ$1,655

$428 ฿14.1K

124.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$772 NZ$1,330

$237 ฿7,801

225.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 NZ$2,659

$801 ฿26.3K

92.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,413 NZ$2,434

$515 ฿16.9K

174.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,425 NZ$7,623

$1,975 ฿64.9K

124.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,413 NZ$5,880

$1,475 ฿48.5K

131.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.3K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $961 in Dargaville versus $428 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 $79.0 in Dargaville versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $316 vs $246 – 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 119% 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 $2,852 per month in Dargaville and $1,300 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 $745 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 28% 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 $866, than in Dargaville at $1,901. 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 $866 versus $1,901 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.