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 $2,470 per month in Airdrie vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,433 per month in Airdrie vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,395 per month in Airdrie vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Airdrie costs about 185% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Airdrie sits 84% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.05 CA$25.11

$1.94 ฿63.5

830.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 CA$97.9

$18.64 ฿609

277.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.86 CA$15.10

$7.82 ฿255

38.87%

Cappuccino

$3.71 CA$5.16

$1.95 ฿63.8

90.26%

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

$2.06 CA$2.86

$0.85 ฿27.77

142.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.31

$0.35 ฿11.58

374.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.13

$2.13 ฿69.6

174.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.98 CA$8.31

$3.73 ฿122

60.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.83

$1.71 ฿56.0

18.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 CA$3.67

$1.63 ฿53.2

61.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.30

$1.14 ฿37.15

171.05%

Eggs

$3.77 CA$5.24

$1.93 ฿63.1

95.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.48 CA$17.36

$16.21 ฿530

-23.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.48 CA$17.35

$3.12 ฿102

300.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 CA$22.25

$10.90 ฿356

46.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.96

$2.75 ฿90.0

56.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.81

$1.21 ฿39.52

7.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.33

$1.62 ฿53.0

136.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.24

$1.59 ฿51.8

137.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 CA$3.28

$1.40 ฿45.70

68.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$1.17 ฿38.17

87.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.67

$0.66 ฿21.60

300.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 CA$2.58

$0.53 ฿17.22

249.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.69 CA$20.43

$4.69 ฿153

213.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.16 CA$16.92

$18.66 ฿609

-34.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 CA$3.90

$1.80 ฿58.8

56.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 CA$4.36

$3.23 ฿106

-3.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.37

$0.90 ฿29.26

168.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.0 CA$89.0

$19.21 ฿628

232.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 CA$4.31

$1.41 ฿45.91

119.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.29 ฿42.12

4.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.47 CA$32.64

$7.84 ฿256

199.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.50

$1.27 ฿41.58

-14.96%

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

$24.7K CA$34.3K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

15.99%

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

$21.8K CA$30.3K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-1.93%

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

$207 CA$288

$69.1 ฿2,256

199.90%

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

$40.66 CA$56.6

$14.08 ฿460

188.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 CA$81.6

$18.00 ฿588

226.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.4 CA$123

$41.06 ฿1,341

115.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.2 CA$80.9

$6.96 ฿227

735.49%

Cinema Ticket

$13.20 CA$18.36

$5.92 ฿193

122.97%

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

$699 CA$972

$299 ฿9,766

133.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.5K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-20.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.63 CA$69.0

$54.7 ฿1,787

-9.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.83 CA$58.2

$26.77 ฿874

56.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 CA$114

$85.0 ฿2,776

-3.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 CA$144

$70.6 ฿2,306

46.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,351 CA$1,878

$428 ฿14.0K

215.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 CA$1,655

$237 ฿7,752

401.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,848 CA$2,570

$801 ฿26.2K

130.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 CA$2,246

$515 ฿16.8K

213.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,268 CA$8,717

$1,975 ฿64.5K

217.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,274 CA$8,725

$1,475 ฿48.2K

325.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,908 CA$4,044

$617 ฿20.2K

370.92%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,351 in Airdrie 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 371% 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 $70.0 in Airdrie versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $374 vs $246 – 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: $2,470 in Airdrie, $866 in Chiang Mai – roughly 185% apart. Airdrie costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,705 per month in Airdrie and $1,300 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 $2,470 in Airdrie and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 233% 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 $866, than in Airdrie at $2,470. 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 $866 in Chiang Mai to $2,470 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.