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 $1,894 per month in Dunedin vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,821 per month in Dunedin vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,748 per month in Dunedin vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dunedin costs about 99% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Dunedin sits 37% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.76 NZ$25.38

$2.10 ฿69.3

602.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.9 NZ$113

$19.84 ฿656

232.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.94 NZ$20.53

$5.79 ฿191

106.22%

Cappuccino

$3.43 NZ$5.90

$1.83 ฿60.4

87.43%

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

$2.24 NZ$3.86

$0.78 ฿25.61

187.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 NZ$3.66

$0.31 ฿10.37

587.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.13 NZ$12.26

$2.34 ฿77.2

204.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.59 NZ$11.33

$3.70 ฿122

78.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 NZ$3.88

$2.03 ฿67.1

10.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 NZ$3.46

$1.60 ฿52.7

25.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 NZ$3.19

$1.42 ฿46.75

30.28%

Eggs

$6.08 NZ$10.45

$2.18 ฿71.9

178.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.84 NZ$15.20

$15.91 ฿526

-44.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 NZ$17.39

$3.07 ฿102

229.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.31 NZ$29.76

$9.87 ฿326

75.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 NZ$5.43

$2.63 ฿86.8

20.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 NZ$4.24

$1.10 ฿36.19

124.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 NZ$5.70

$1.63 ฿53.8

103.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 NZ$8.90

$1.53 ฿50.6

238.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 NZ$3.26

$1.24 ฿41.13

53.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 NZ$3.34

$1.13 ฿37.37

71.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 NZ$4.27

$0.74 ฿24.38

236.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 NZ$1.07

$0.50 ฿16.48

24.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.05 NZ$37.91

$4.28 ฿141

415.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.64 NZ$16.58

$17.97 ฿594

-46.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.40 NZ$5.85

$1.70 ฿56.1

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 NZ$2.26

$2.90 ฿95.7

-54.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 NZ$1.98

$0.94 ฿31.13

22.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.9 NZ$120

$55.3 ฿1,827

26.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.92 NZ$10.18

$1.23 ฿40.76

381.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.99 NZ$49.84

$2.40 ฿79.3

1107.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 NZ$3.17

$1.44 ฿47.55

27.78%

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

$26.9K NZ$46.2K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

26.75%

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

$26.0K NZ$44.8K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-4.66%

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

$114 NZ$196

$64.9 ฿2,145

75.68%

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

$30.01 NZ$51.6

$13.35 ฿441

124.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.0 NZ$92.9

$20.83 ฿688

159.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 NZ$86.8

$40.42 ฿1,336

24.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$10.63 NZ$18.27

$6.71 ฿222

58.42%

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

$605 NZ$1,041

$787 ฿26.0K

-23.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 NZ$104

$56.2 ฿1,858

7.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.15 NZ$62.2

$24.95 ฿824

44.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 NZ$162

$92.7 ฿3,063

1.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 NZ$246

$75.1 ฿2,482

90.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$902 NZ$1,551

$484 ฿16.0K

86.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$775 NZ$1,333

$287 ฿9,491

169.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 NZ$2,714

$910 ฿30.1K

73.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 NZ$2,080

$531 ฿17.5K

128.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,365 NZ$4,065

$1,451 ฿47.9K

62.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,559 NZ$4,399

$605 ฿20.0K

322.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

5.57

26.93%

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

Last update for Dunedin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $902 in Dunedin versus $484 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 323% 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 $66.0 in Dunedin versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 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

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

Dunedin costs about 99% 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 $2,841 per month in Dunedin and $1,426 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 $605 per month in Dunedin and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% 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 $950, than in Dunedin at $1,894. 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 $950 versus $1,894 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.