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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,801 per month in Kerikeri vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,837 per month in Kerikeri vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,873 per month in Kerikeri vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kerikeri costs about 111% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Kerikeri sits 35% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.05 NZ$25.51

$2.04 ฿68.2

637.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 NZ$133

$18.71 ฿624

319.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 NZ$16.67

$7.86 ฿262

25.06%

Cappuccino

$3.29 NZ$5.58

$2.03 ฿67.7

62.07%

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

$2.34 NZ$3.97

$0.80 ฿26.64

192.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 NZ$3.77

$0.35 ฿11.68

537.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 NZ$9.96

$2.14 ฿71.5

174.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.48 NZ$9.28

$3.67 ฿122

49.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 NZ$2.02

$1.73 ฿57.6

-31.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 NZ$3.44

$1.57 ฿52.4

29.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 NZ$3.33

$1.20 ฿39.99

64.17%

Eggs

$6.79 NZ$11.51

$1.97 ฿65.8

244.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.81 NZ$14.94

$16.23 ฿541

-45.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 NZ$16.09

$3.06 ฿102

210.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.07 NZ$20.46

$10.80 ฿360

11.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 NZ$4.72

$2.77 ฿92.3

0.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 NZ$3.76

$1.17 ฿38.94

89.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 NZ$5.73

$1.71 ฿57.0

97.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 NZ$6.91

$1.59 ฿53.2

156.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.35

$1.39 ฿46.51

42.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 NZ$2.90

$1.16 ฿38.56

47.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 NZ$3.29

$0.66 ฿22.05

193.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 NZ$1.30

$0.52 ฿17.31

48.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.11 NZ$42.57

$4.65 ฿155

440.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.57 NZ$17.93

$17.78 ฿593

-40.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 NZ$3.08

$1.79 ฿59.6

1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 NZ$6.63

$3.34 ฿111

17.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.16 NZ$3.66

$0.91 ฿30.27

137.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.1 NZ$110

$18.64 ฿622

249.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 NZ$3.16

$1.41 ฿47.04

31.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 NZ$2.55

$1.34 ฿44.70

11.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.70 NZ$58.8

$8.11 ฿270

327.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.90

$1.23 ฿41.16

39.02%

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

$27.9K NZ$47.4K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

30.35%

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

$22.0K NZ$37.3K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

0.83%

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

$129 NZ$219

$71.3 ฿2,379

80.84%

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

$30.48 NZ$51.7

$14.01 ฿467

117.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.21 NZ$83.4

$17.93 ฿598

174.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.21 NZ$61.4

$40.82 ฿1,362

-11.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.24 NZ$20.75

$6.88 ฿230

77.91%

Cinema Ticket

$11.15 NZ$18.90

$5.72 ฿191

94.93%

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

$889 NZ$1,507

$308 ฿10.3K

188.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K NZ$23.3K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-6.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.1 NZ$117

$55.8 ฿1,860

23.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.73 NZ$62.3

$26.04 ฿869

41.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 NZ$170

$84.8 ฿2,829

18.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 NZ$214

$71.0 ฿2,368

77.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 NZ$1,665

$423 ฿14.1K

132.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$799 NZ$1,354

$242 ฿8,088

229.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,562 NZ$2,647

$797 ฿26.6K

95.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 NZ$2,426

$507 ฿16.9K

182.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,260 NZ$8,916

$1,918 ฿64.0K

174.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,961 NZ$5,019

$1,464 ฿48.8K

102.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,657 NZ$9,590

$595 ฿19.9K

850.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

27.40%

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

Last update for Kerikeri: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $982 in Kerikeri versus $423 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 851% higher in Kerikeri, 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 $78.0 in Kerikeri versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $244 – 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

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

Kerikeri costs about 111% 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 $2,701 per month in Kerikeri and $1,279 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 $889 per month in Kerikeri and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Kerikeri, 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 $852, than in Kerikeri at $1,801. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kerikeri it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,801 in Kerikeri. 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, Kerikeri makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.