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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,766 per month in Oamaru vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,710 per month in Oamaru vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,655 per month in Oamaru vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Oamaru costs about 103% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Oamaru sits 31% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.65 NZ$28.42

$1.98 ฿64.3

740.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 NZ$121

$18.80 ฿612

277.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.84 NZ$16.81

$7.75 ฿252

26.97%

Cappuccino

$3.38 NZ$5.77

$1.92 ฿62.5

76.04%

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

$2.29 NZ$3.90

$0.79 ฿25.79

189.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 NZ$3.53

$0.36 ฿11.62

475.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.43 NZ$12.69

$2.21 ฿72.1

236.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.40 NZ$12.64

$3.66 ฿119

102.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 NZ$3.14

$1.65 ฿53.8

11.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 NZ$1.88

$1.63 ฿53.2

-32.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 NZ$2.03

$1.19 ฿38.86

Eggs

$3.95 NZ$6.75

$2.00 ฿65.1

97.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 NZ$13.97

$15.98 ฿520

-48.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.48 NZ$16.18

$3.03 ฿98.5

212.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.67 NZ$21.63

$10.86 ฿354

16.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 NZ$4.05

$2.76 ฿90.0

-14.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 NZ$3.06

$1.18 ฿38.42

51.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 NZ$5.06

$1.64 ฿53.5

80.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.71 NZ$9.75

$1.52 ฿49.51

275.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 NZ$2.61

$1.38 ฿45.10

10.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 NZ$2.09

$1.19 ฿38.84

3.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 NZ$3.17

$0.70 ฿22.86

164.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 NZ$2.53

$0.56 ฿18.13

164.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.19 NZ$41.31

$4.58 ฿149

428.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.94 NZ$10.14

$16.56 ฿539

-64.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.81 NZ$6.51

$1.83 ฿59.5

108.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 NZ$8.30

$3.20 ฿104

51.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.08 NZ$3.55

$0.88 ฿28.56

136.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.5 NZ$110

$18.72 ฿610

244.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 NZ$4.71

$1.36 ฿44.16

102.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 NZ$2.89

$1.34 ฿43.65

26.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.07 NZ$51.4

$7.84 ฿256

283.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.79

$1.23 ฿39.92

32.52%

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

$27.6K NZ$47.2K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

27.72%

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

$19.5K NZ$33.4K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-13.34%

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

$117 NZ$201

$70.5 ฿2,298

66.53%

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

$17.84 NZ$30.46

$13.68 ฿445

30.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.61 NZ$83.0

$17.45 ฿568

178.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.54 NZ$62.4

$41.33 ฿1,346

-11.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.02 NZ$20.52

$6.96 ฿227

72.70%

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 NZ$18.38

$5.77 ฿188

86.66%

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

$651 NZ$1,112

$307 ฿10.0K

112.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,375 NZ$16.0K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-35.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 NZ$104

$55.8 ฿1,817

9.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.84 NZ$30.46

$26.21 ฿854

-31.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.93 NZ$83.6

$85.8 ฿2,793

-42.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.2 NZ$92.5

$72.2 ฿2,353

-25.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 NZ$1,669

$430 ฿14.0K

127.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$773 NZ$1,320

$239 ฿7,774

223.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,593 NZ$2,720

$817 ฿26.6K

94.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,446 NZ$2,470

$511 ฿16.6K

183.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,533 NZ$7,741

$1,983 ฿64.6K

128.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,275 NZ$5,593

$1,484 ฿48.3K

120.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,048 NZ$3,497

$619 ฿20.2K

230.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.00%

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

Last update for Oamaru: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Oamaru 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 231% higher in Oamaru, 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 $71.0 in Oamaru versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $296 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

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

Oamaru costs about 103% 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 $2,649 per month in Oamaru 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 $651 per month in Oamaru 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 23% more in Oamaru, 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 Oamaru at $1,766. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Oamaru it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,766 in Oamaru. 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, Oamaru makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.