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 $2,564 per month in Airdrie vs $942 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,737 per month in Airdrie vs $1,427 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,910 per month in Airdrie vs $1,912 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Airdrie costs about 172% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Airdrie sits 90% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.43 CA$27.27

$2.08 ฿69.1

834.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.5 CA$109

$19.91 ฿661

289.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.79 CA$15.15

$5.58 ฿185

93.37%

Cappuccino

$4.02 CA$5.64

$1.74 ฿57.7

131.03%

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

$2.16 CA$3.03

$0.72 ฿23.90

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.66

$0.32 ฿10.63

493.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.06 CA$7.09

$2.25 ฿74.7

124.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 CA$7.91

$3.81 ฿127

48.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 CA$2.67

$2.02 ฿67.1

-5.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.79

$1.57 ฿52.2

71.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.97

$1.40 ฿46.37

152.86%

Eggs

$3.73 CA$5.24

$2.15 ฿71.5

73.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 CA$15.77

$15.63 ฿519

-28.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.33 CA$15.91

$2.95 ฿97.9

284.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.96 CA$25.20

$9.49 ฿315

89.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 CA$6.67

$2.60 ฿86.5

82.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.87

$1.08 ฿35.92

23.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.23

$1.59 ฿52.9

179.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.62

$1.45 ฿48.25

175.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.72

$1.28 ฿42.40

107.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 CA$3.94

$1.11 ฿36.90

153.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CA$3.66

$0.73 ฿24.12

257.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 CA$2.56

$0.50 ฿16.59

266.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.49 CA$20.34

$4.27 ฿142

239.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.53 CA$16.17

$17.67 ฿587

-34.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.59 CA$5.04

$1.68 ฿55.9

113.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 CA$4.40

$2.80 ฿93.1

12.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.10 CA$2.95

$0.87 ฿28.74

141.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$175 CA$246

$54.2 ฿1,800

222.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 CA$4.39

$1.21 ฿40.28

158.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 CA$1.89

$0.54 ฿17.90

150.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.98 CA$29.44

$2.39 ฿79.3

777.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.58

$1.46 ฿48.62

-23.29%

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

$27.8K CA$38.9K

$21.0K ฿698.1K

32.07%

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

$20.0K CA$28.1K

$26.7K ฿886.7K

-24.90%

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

$225 CA$316

$62.1 ฿2,062

262.95%

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

$39.66 CA$55.7

$12.93 ฿429

206.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 CA$77.8

$20.61 ฿685

169.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.1 CA$121

$39.21 ฿1,302

119.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.13 CA$49.30

$3.77 ฿125

831.83%

Cinema Ticket

$14.41 CA$20.23

$6.52 ฿217

121.01%

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

$761 CA$1,068

$803 ฿26.7K

-5.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,547 CA$13.4K

$14.7K ฿488.2K

-35.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.57 CA$62.5

$55.9 ฿1,856

-20.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.84 CA$60.1

$25.51 ฿847

67.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 CA$122

$91.1 ฿3,025

-4.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$154

$73.3 ฿2,435

49.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 CA$1,810

$484 ฿16.1K

166.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,121 CA$1,573

$288 ฿9,574

288.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 CA$2,537

$885 ฿29.4K

104.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,672 CA$2,347

$523 ฿17.4K

219.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,184 CA$8,677

$1,989 ฿66.1K

210.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,019 CA$8,446

$1,440 ฿47.9K

317.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,886 CA$4,050

$603 ฿20.0K

378.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

5.57

-22.44%

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

Last update for Airdrie: September 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,290 in Airdrie versus $484 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 379% 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 $77.0 in Airdrie versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $238 – 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: $2,564 in Airdrie, $942 in Chiang Mai – roughly 172% apart. Airdrie costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,845 per month in Airdrie and $1,414 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 $2,564 in Airdrie and $942 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 223% 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 $942, than in Airdrie at $2,564. 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 $942 in Chiang Mai to $2,564 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.