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 $1,573 per month in Invercargill vs $848 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,446 per month in Invercargill vs $1,331 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,318 per month in Invercargill vs $1,814 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Invercargill costs about 86% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Invercargill sits 18% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.98 NZ$20.55

$1.96 ฿63.6

511.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.6 NZ$124

$18.39 ฿598

294.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.58 NZ$14.71

$7.87 ฿256

9.02%

Cappuccino

$3.47 NZ$5.95

$1.95 ฿63.4

77.95%

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

$1.76 NZ$3.01

$0.85 ฿27.57

107.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 NZ$2.46

$0.32 ฿10.52

350.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.99 NZ$10.27

$2.14 ฿69.6

179.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 NZ$8.20

$3.68 ฿120

29.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 NZ$2.50

$1.66 ฿53.9

-12.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 NZ$3.13

$1.56 ฿50.7

17.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 NZ$2.94

$1.19 ฿38.63

43.70%

Eggs

$5.70 NZ$9.77

$1.99 ฿64.7

186.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.11 NZ$13.91

$16.24 ฿528

-50.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.17 NZ$15.73

$3.17 ฿103

189.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.67 NZ$23.43

$10.84 ฿352

26.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 NZ$4.67

$2.65 ฿86.2

2.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 NZ$4.04

$1.22 ฿39.67

93.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 NZ$4.44

$1.65 ฿53.7

56.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 NZ$6.32

$1.55 ฿50.3

137.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 NZ$3.27

$1.33 ฿43.17

43.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 NZ$3.05

$1.21 ฿39.43

47.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 NZ$4.36

$0.68 ฿22.04

273.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 NZ$1.91

$0.57 ฿18.38

94.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.53 NZ$38.63

$4.68 ฿152

381.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.48 NZ$14.54

$16.99 ฿552

-50.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.05 NZ$6.94

$1.82 ฿59.3

122.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 NZ$6.36

$3.18 ฿103

16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 NZ$2.66

$0.91 ฿29.46

70.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.8 NZ$109

$18.74 ฿609

240.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 NZ$4.17

$1.41 ฿45.80

72.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 NZ$3.28

$1.34 ฿43.52

42.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.39 NZ$52.1

$8.14 ฿265

273.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 NZ$2.92

$1.28 ฿41.53

32.81%

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

$25.3K NZ$43.4K

$21.8K ฿709.3K

15.89%

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

$19.9K NZ$34.1K

$22.4K ฿728.0K

-11.21%

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

$103 NZ$176

$70.5 ฿2,291

45.89%

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

$36.03 NZ$61.8

$14.05 ฿457

156.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 NZ$86.8

$17.65 ฿574

186.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.14 NZ$49.97

$41.29 ฿1,342

-29.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.98 NZ$20.54

$6.76 ฿220

77.22%

Cinema Ticket

$9.47 NZ$16.24

$5.96 ฿194

58.89%

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

$595 NZ$1,020

$303 ฿9,846

96.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K NZ$20.8K

$15.0K ฿486.2K

-18.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 NZ$116

$54.7 ฿1,778

23.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.69 NZ$61.2

$26.29 ฿854

35.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.9 NZ$142

$85.8 ฿2,788

-3.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.0 NZ$146

$69.7 ฿2,265

22.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$653 NZ$1,120

$428 ฿13.9K

52.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$592 NZ$1,015

$239 ฿7,769

147.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$868 NZ$1,488

$811 ฿26.4K

7.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 NZ$1,818

$510 ฿16.6K

108.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,432 NZ$7,599

$2,025 ฿65.8K

118.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,432 NZ$5,884

$1,502 ฿48.8K

128.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,113 NZ$5,338

$623 ฿20.2K

400.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.87

37.40%

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

Last update for Invercargill: June 16, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $653 in Invercargill 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.

Salaries run about 400% 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 $73.0 in Invercargill versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $308 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

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

Invercargill costs about 86% 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 $2,359 per month in Invercargill and $1,272 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 $595 per month in Invercargill and $303 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% 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 $848, than in Invercargill at $1,573. 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 $848 versus $1,573 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.