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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,494 per month in Airdrie vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,531 per month in Airdrie vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,568 per month in Airdrie vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Airdrie costs about 190% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Airdrie sits 87% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.34 CA$25.80

$1.96 ฿65.8

835.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.9 CA$99.8

$18.35 ฿617

286.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.18 CA$15.73

$7.48 ฿252

49.47%

Cappuccino

$3.71 CA$5.23

$2.02 ฿67.8

83.66%

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

$1.97 CA$2.77

$0.85 ฿28.50

131.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.42

$0.36 ฿11.96

377.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.81 CA$8.18

$2.14 ฿71.8

171.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 CA$8.48

$3.59 ฿121

67.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 CA$2.83

$1.65 ฿55.5

21.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.82

$1.57 ฿52.7

73.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.08 CA$4.33

$1.19 ฿40.02

158.82%

Eggs

$3.57 CA$5.02

$1.94 ฿65.1

84.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 CA$16.97

$16.19 ฿544

-25.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.55 CA$17.66

$2.99 ฿101

319.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.21 CA$22.81

$10.94 ฿368

48.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.08

$2.71 ฿91.2

59.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 CA$1.80

$1.17 ฿39.25

9.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.38

$1.69 ฿56.7

126.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 CA$5.11

$1.60 ฿54.0

126.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 CA$3.39

$1.38 ฿46.54

74.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 CA$3.10

$1.20 ฿40.45

83.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.72

$0.67 ฿22.50

294.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 CA$2.73

$0.56 ฿18.73

246.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.69 CA$20.67

$4.64 ฿156

216.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 CA$17.05

$17.62 ฿593

-31.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 CA$4.01

$1.86 ฿62.5

53.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 CA$4.49

$3.30 ฿111

-3.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 CA$3.35

$0.88 ฿29.68

170.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 CA$88.5

$19.34 ฿650

225.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 CA$4.42

$1.36 ฿45.90

130.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 CA$1.92

$1.34 ฿44.98

1.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.50 CA$33.07

$8.21 ฿276

186.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 CA$1.47

$1.22 ฿41.18

-14.75%

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

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

17.91%

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

$21.5K CA$30.2K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

-4.75%

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

$209 CA$295

$70.7 ฿2,376

196.18%

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

$41.09 CA$57.8

$14.04 ฿472

192.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.8 CA$82.7

$17.49 ฿588

236.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.8 CA$126

$42.15 ฿1,417

112.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.1 CA$83.2

$6.88 ฿231

759.16%

Cinema Ticket

$13.42 CA$18.89

$5.92 ฿199

126.69%

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

$701 CA$987

$309 ฿10.4K

127.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.4K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-21.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.75 CA$68.6

$55.8 ฿1,875

-12.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.08 CA$59.2

$26.11 ฿878

61.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 CA$114

$83.0 ฿2,792

-2.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$147

$70.5 ฿2,369

48.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 CA$1,835

$432 ฿14.5K

201.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,184 CA$1,666

$239 ฿8,035

395.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,844 CA$2,595

$822 ฿27.7K

124.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 CA$2,267

$512 ฿17.2K

214.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,078 CA$8,552

$1,915 ฿64.4K

217.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,141 CA$8,640

$1,467 ฿49.3K

318.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,900 CA$4,080

$579 ฿19.5K

400.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

21.60%

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

Last update for Airdrie: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,304 in Airdrie versus $432 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 401% higher in Airdrie, 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 Airdrie versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 vs $243 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,494 in Airdrie, $861 in Chiang Mai – roughly 190% apart. Airdrie costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,741 per month in Airdrie and $1,292 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,494 in Airdrie and $861 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 225% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Airdrie at $2,494. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Airdrie it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $861 in Chiang Mai to $2,494 in Airdrie. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Airdrie makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.