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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,724 per month in Burlington vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,059 per month in Burlington vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,393 per month in Burlington vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Burlington costs about 216% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Burlington sits 104% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.03 CA$28.18

$1.96 ฿65.8

921.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 CA$103

$18.35 ฿617

297.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 CA$15.34

$7.48 ฿252

45.72%

Cappuccino

$3.66 CA$5.15

$2.02 ฿67.8

81.19%

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

$1.94 CA$2.73

$0.85 ฿28.50

128.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.32

$0.36 ฿11.96

358.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 CA$8.40

$2.14 ฿71.8

178.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.36

$3.59 ฿121

85.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 CA$2.91

$1.65 ฿55.5

25.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 CA$4.26

$1.57 ฿52.7

92.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.17

$1.19 ฿40.02

268.07%

Eggs

$3.03 CA$4.26

$1.94 ฿65.1

56.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.73 CA$19.32

$16.19 ฿544

-15.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.89 CA$12.51

$2.99 ฿101

197.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.96 CA$30.90

$10.94 ฿368

100.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 CA$4.87

$2.71 ฿91.2

27.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 CA$1.95

$1.17 ฿39.25

18.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.12

$1.69 ฿56.7

115.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 CA$5.00

$1.60 ฿54.0

122.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CA$2.74

$1.38 ฿46.54

41.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.51

$1.20 ฿40.45

49.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 CA$3.10

$0.67 ฿22.50

228.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 CA$2.89

$0.56 ฿18.73

267.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.09

$4.64 ฿156

223.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.29 CA$17.30

$17.62 ฿593

-30.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$1.86 ฿62.5

32.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 CA$3.15

$3.30 ฿111

-32.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.24 CA$4.55

$0.88 ฿29.68

268.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 CA$146

$19.34 ฿650

435.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 CA$3.29

$1.36 ฿45.90

72.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 CA$2.42

$1.34 ฿44.98

28.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.29 CA$62.3

$8.21 ฿276

439.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.63

$1.22 ฿41.18

-4.92%

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

$25.0K CA$35.2K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

17.15%

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

$21.6K CA$30.4K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

-4.11%

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

$133 CA$187

$70.7 ฿2,376

88.16%

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

$53.1 CA$74.8

$14.04 ฿472

278.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.5 CA$86.6

$17.49 ฿588

251.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 CA$65.9

$42.15 ฿1,417

11.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.90 CA$32.22

$6.88 ฿231

232.85%

Cinema Ticket

$10.95 CA$15.41

$5.92 ฿199

84.97%

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

$947 CA$1,332

$309 ฿10.4K

206.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K CA$34.6K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

65.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 CA$86.7

$55.8 ฿1,875

10.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.5 CA$96.4

$26.11 ฿878

162.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 CA$122

$83.0 ฿2,792

4.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 CA$193

$70.5 ฿2,369

94.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,716 CA$2,414

$432 ฿14.5K

297.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 CA$2,083

$239 ฿8,035

519.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,722 CA$3,830

$822 ฿27.7K

231.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,436 CA$3,427

$512 ฿17.2K

375.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,331 CA$7,502

$1,915 ฿64.4K

178.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,338 CA$6,104

$1,467 ฿49.3K

195.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,413 CA$4,802

$579 ฿19.5K

489.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

28.00%

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

Last update for Burlington: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,716 in Burlington 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 489% higher in Burlington, 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 $73.0 in Burlington versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $374 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

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

Yes – Burlington is pricier by about 216%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,086 per month in Burlington 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.

Kindergarten costs $947 per month in Burlington and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% more in Burlington, 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 $861, than in Burlington at $2,724. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Burlington it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Burlington makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.