Cost of Living Comparison Between Palmerston North and Da Nang Cost of Living Comparison Between Palmerston North and Da Nang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,714 per month in Palmerston North vs $720 in Da Nang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,743 per month in Palmerston North vs $1,104 in Da Nang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,773 per month in Palmerston North vs $1,488 in Da Nang, rent included.

Palmerston North costs about 138% more than Da Nang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Palmerston North sits 28% above the global median, while Da Nang is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 NZ$27.84

$1.97 ₫51.8K

737.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 NZ$120

$18.92 ₫497.2K

276.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.21 NZ$20.62

$4.60 ₫120.8K

165.43%

Cappuccino

$3.57 NZ$6.03

$1.63 ₫42.9K

119.02%

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

$2.38 NZ$4.02

$0.50 ₫13.1K

376.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 NZ$3.49

$0.29 ₫7,495

613.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.15 NZ$12.07

$1.02 ₫26.9K

600.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 NZ$10.65

$1.60 ₫42.0K

294.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 NZ$3.40

$1.43 ₫37.5K

40.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 NZ$3.54

$1.02 ₫26.9K

105.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 NZ$2.95

$1.15 ₫30.3K

52.17%

Eggs

$5.23 NZ$8.82

$1.42 ₫37.4K

268.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 NZ$13.95

$12.25 ₫321.8K

-32.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 NZ$15.58

$3.63 ₫95.5K

154.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 NZ$21.27

$10.13 ₫266.3K

24.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 NZ$4.23

$2.75 ₫72.2K

-8.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 NZ$3.04

$1.00 ₫26.2K

80.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 NZ$4.15

$1.09 ₫28.6K

125.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 NZ$5.63

$1.07 ₫28.1K

212.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 NZ$3.64

$1.13 ₫29.8K

91.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 NZ$3.68

$1.15 ₫30.2K

89.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 NZ$3.45

$1.04 ₫27.4K

96.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 NZ$1.65

$0.48 ₫12.6K

102.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.54 NZ$34.68

$1.36 ₫35.7K

1410.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.04 NZ$15.27

$7.71 ₫202.5K

17.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 NZ$4.26

$0.86 ₫22.7K

193.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.41 NZ$9.14

$1.66 ₫43.7K

225.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.72 NZ$7.98

$0.32 ₫8,325

1375.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.37 NZ$51.3

$3.92 ₫103.0K

674.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 NZ$4.18

$0.90 ₫23.6K

174.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.11

$0.69 ₫18.0K

166.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.02 NZ$28.73

$11.67 ₫306.7K

45.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.92

$0.89 ₫23.4K

94.38%

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

$18.8K NZ$31.7K

$26.8K ₫705.1M

-29.94%

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

$21.8K NZ$36.7K

$28.1K ₫738.4M

-22.58%

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

$89.8 NZ$152

$74.3 ₫2.0M

20.85%

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

$37.60 NZ$63.5

$5.71 ₫150.1K

558.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.40 NZ$81.7

$8.07 ₫212.1K

499.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.74 NZ$58.7

$20.37 ₫535.3K

70.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.16 NZ$22.22

$7.65 ₫201.0K

72.03%

Cinema Ticket

$9.00 NZ$15.20

$3.11 ₫81.6K

189.39%

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

$1,004 NZ$1,694

$156 ₫4.1M

545.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,168 NZ$10.4K

$12.7K ₫333.9M

-51.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 NZ$97.3

$38.62 ₫1.0M

49.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.67 NZ$63.6

$26.00 ₫683.1K

44.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 NZ$154

$52.7 ₫1.4M

72.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.4 NZ$158

$75.8 ₫2.0M

23.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 NZ$1,416

$360 ₫9.5M

132.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$688 NZ$1,162

$249 ₫6.5M

176.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 NZ$2,614

$727 ₫19.1M

113.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 NZ$2,347

$459 ₫12.0M

203.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,200 NZ$3,714

$3,870 ₫101.7M

-43.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,969 NZ$3,324

$1,283 ₫33.7M

53.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,671 NZ$4,509

$353 ₫9.3M

656.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

10.67

-37.30%

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

Last update for Palmerston North: May 31, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $839 in Palmerston North versus $360 in Da Nang. 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 656% higher in Palmerston North, 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 Palmerston North versus $19.00 in Da Nang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $188 – making Da Nang 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

Palmerston North vs Da Nang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,714 in Palmerston North, $720 in Da Nang – roughly 138% apart. Palmerston North costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,571 per month in Palmerston North and $1,080 in Da Nang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Da Nang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% more in Palmerston North, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Palmerston North and $19.00 in Da Nang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Da Nang, where all-in costs run around $720, than in Palmerston North at $1,714. In Da Nang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Palmerston North it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Da Nang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $720 in Da Nang to $1,714 in Palmerston North. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Da Nang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Palmerston North makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.