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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,840 per month in Dunedin vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Dunedin vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,817 per month in Dunedin vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dunedin costs about 112% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Dunedin sits 37% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.01 NZ$20.57

$1.98 ฿64.6

506.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 NZ$125

$18.80 ฿615

289.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 NZ$18.55

$7.75 ฿253

39.61%

Cappuccino

$3.45 NZ$5.91

$1.92 ฿62.7

79.69%

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

$2.23 NZ$3.82

$0.79 ฿25.87

182.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 NZ$3.60

$0.36 ฿11.66

483.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.44 NZ$12.75

$2.21 ฿72.3

236.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 NZ$10.21

$3.66 ฿120

62.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 NZ$3.69

$1.65 ฿54.0

30.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 NZ$3.23

$1.63 ฿53.3

15.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 NZ$3.15

$1.19 ฿38.99

54.62%

Eggs

$5.68 NZ$9.73

$2.00 ฿65.3

184.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.38 NZ$14.37

$15.98 ฿522

-47.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 NZ$18.47

$3.03 ฿98.9

255.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.89 NZ$22.09

$10.86 ฿355

18.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 NZ$5.05

$2.76 ฿90.3

6.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 NZ$3.90

$1.18 ฿38.55

93.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 NZ$5.87

$1.64 ฿53.7

108.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 NZ$7.64

$1.52 ฿49.68

193.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 NZ$3.30

$1.38 ฿45.25

39.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 NZ$3.51

$1.19 ฿38.97

72.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 NZ$4.34

$0.70 ฿22.94

262.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 NZ$1.85

$0.56 ฿18.19

92.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.59 NZ$42.15

$4.58 ฿150

436.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.22 NZ$15.79

$16.56 ฿541

-44.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 NZ$4.45

$1.83 ฿59.7

42.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 NZ$6.17

$3.20 ฿105

12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 NZ$2.12

$0.88 ฿28.66

40.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.5 NZ$124

$18.72 ฿612

287.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 NZ$10.41

$1.36 ฿44.31

347.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 NZ$1.87

$1.34 ฿43.80

-18.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.44 NZ$52.2

$7.84 ฿256

288.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.94

$1.23 ฿40.06

39.02%

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

$20.0K NZ$34.3K

$21.6K ฿706.7K

-7.43%

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

$25.4K NZ$43.6K

$22.5K ฿736.8K

12.78%

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

$103 NZ$177

$70.5 ฿2,305

46.36%

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

$35.86 NZ$61.5

$13.68 ฿447

162.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 NZ$96.3

$17.45 ฿570

221.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 NZ$89.5

$41.33 ฿1,351

26.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.17 NZ$10.58

$6.96 ฿228

-11.35%

Cinema Ticket

$9.44 NZ$16.18

$5.77 ฿189

63.60%

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

$589 NZ$1,009

$307 ฿10.0K

91.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.6K

$14.6K ฿477.5K

-17.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 NZ$113

$55.8 ฿1,823

18.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.95 NZ$59.9

$26.21 ฿856

33.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.5 NZ$165

$85.8 ฿2,802

12.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 NZ$209

$72.2 ฿2,361

69.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$898 NZ$1,540

$430 ฿14.0K

109.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$775 NZ$1,329

$239 ฿7,800

224.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,507 NZ$2,582

$817 ฿26.7K

84.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 NZ$2,296

$511 ฿16.7K

162.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,898 NZ$4,966

$1,983 ฿64.8K

46.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,986 NZ$3,404

$1,484 ฿48.5K

33.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,548 NZ$4,367

$619 ฿20.2K

311.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

41.40%

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

Last update for Dunedin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $898 in Dunedin versus $430 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.

Salaries run about 312% higher in Dunedin, 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 Dunedin versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $241 – 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

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

Dunedin costs about 112% 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 $2,760 per month in Dunedin and $1,303 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 $589 per month in Dunedin and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Dunedin, 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 $869, than in Dunedin at $1,840. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dunedin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,840 in Dunedin. 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, Dunedin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.