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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,478 per month in Invercargill vs $920 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,199 per month in Invercargill vs $1,408 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,919 per month in Invercargill vs $1,895 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Invercargill costs about 61% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Invercargill sits 8% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.99 NZ$25.18

$2.11 ฿69.1

610.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.4 NZ$108

$19.75 ฿648

226.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.83 NZ$14.83

$5.85 ฿192

50.94%

Cappuccino

$3.20 NZ$5.38

$1.76 ฿57.8

81.82%

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

$1.81 NZ$3.04

$0.74 ฿24.37

144.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 NZ$3.93

$0.33 ฿10.90

609.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 NZ$4.92

$2.47 ฿81.0

18.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 NZ$5.03

$3.88 ฿127

-22.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 NZ$2.97

$1.90 ฿62.4

-6.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 NZ$2.91

$1.67 ฿54.7

4.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 NZ$3.10

$1.35 ฿44.24

36.30%

Eggs

$5.89 NZ$9.90

$2.14 ฿70.2

175.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 NZ$13.47

$15.89 ฿521

-49.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 NZ$14.84

$2.83 ฿92.9

212.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 NZ$21.47

$10.53 ฿345

21.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 NZ$4.53

$2.38 ฿78.2

13.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.08

$1.07 ฿35.01

127.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 NZ$4.60

$1.52 ฿49.79

80.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.55 NZ$5.96

$1.50 ฿49.30

136.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 NZ$5.70

$1.28 ฿41.96

164.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 NZ$2.84

$1.10 ฿36.17

53.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 NZ$4.12

$0.69 ฿22.54

256.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 NZ$1.93

$0.49 ฿16.18

134.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.44 NZ$30.97

$4.27 ฿140

331.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.93 NZ$15.00

$16.78 ฿550

-46.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 NZ$5.26

$1.66 ฿54.4

88.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 NZ$6.10

$2.81 ฿92.3

29.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.57 NZ$2.64

$0.90 ฿29.44

74.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 NZ$4.02

$1.20 ฿39.24

99.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 NZ$3.30

$0.54 ฿17.78

264.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.37 NZ$49.33

$2.37 ฿77.9

1139.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.73

$1.43 ฿46.88

13.99%

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

$25.1K NZ$42.2K

$21.1K ฿691.5K

19.18%

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

$19.4K NZ$32.5K

$27.1K ฿890.2K

-28.65%

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

$101 NZ$169

$64.7 ฿2,124

55.59%

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

$33.12 NZ$55.6

$13.19 ฿433

151.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.53 NZ$74.8

$19.44 ฿638

129.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.43 NZ$47.74

$39.45 ฿1,294

-27.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.90 NZ$25.03

$3.77 ฿124

295.23%

Cinema Ticket

$9.39 NZ$15.77

$6.62 ฿217

41.84%

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

$620 NZ$1,042

$805 ฿26.4K

-22.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 NZ$100

$54.8 ฿1,796

9.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.61 NZ$63.2

$25.43 ฿834

47.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.8 NZ$126

$91.9 ฿3,015

-18.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 NZ$138

$74.7 ฿2,449

10.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 NZ$1,052

$467 ฿15.3K

34.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$568 NZ$953

$282 ฿9,251

101.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$865 NZ$1,452

$891 ฿29.2K

-2.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$797 NZ$1,339

$521 ฿17.1K

53.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,834 NZ$9,797

$1,985 ฿65.1K

193.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,244 NZ$8,806

$1,462 ฿48.0K

258.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,903 NZ$4,875

$592 ฿19.4K

390.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

5.57

20.65%

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

Last update for Invercargill: August 17, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Invercargill versus $467 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 390% higher in Invercargill, 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 $64.0 in Invercargill versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $237 – 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

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

Invercargill costs about 61% 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 $2,218 per month in Invercargill and $1,380 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Invercargill and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Invercargill, 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 $920, than in Invercargill at $1,478. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Invercargill it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $920 versus $1,478 in Invercargill. 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, Invercargill makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.