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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,433 in Calgary versus $872 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,642 in Calgary versus $1,337 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,850 in Calgary versus $1,802 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Calgary is roughly 179% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Calgary is 81% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 CA$24.93

$2.01 ฿64.5

805.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$95.9

$18.23 ฿584

284.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.09

$7.65 ฿245

43.92%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.11

$1.92 ฿61.5

94.27%

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

$1.98 CA$2.71

$0.84 ฿26.96

135.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.26

$0.36 ฿11.42

358.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 CA$7.22

$2.19 ฿70.2

140.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.11

$3.79 ฿121

75.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$2.94

$1.64 ฿52.5

31.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$1.62 ฿51.9

65.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.66

$1.15 ฿36.96

195.65%

Eggs

$3.28 CA$4.49

$1.94 ฿62.1

69.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.65 CA$20.07

$15.94 ฿511

-8.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.61 CA$17.28

$3.10 ฿99.4

306.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.13 CA$22.10

$11.07 ฿355

45.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$2.71 ฿86.7

64.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.18 ฿37.77

13.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$1.71 ฿54.6

118.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$1.61 ฿51.4

166.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.65

$1.39 ฿44.63

92.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.57

$1.15 ฿36.78

126.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$0.71 ฿22.81

285.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.60

$0.55 ฿17.63

245.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.52

$4.57 ฿146

227.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.59

$18.87 ฿605

-24.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$3.97

$1.82 ฿58.3

59.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CA$5.44

$3.21 ฿103

23.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$0.88 ฿28.23

204.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.9 CA$120

$18.89 ฿605

365.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$4.88

$1.41 ฿45.27

153.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.30 ฿41.68

3.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.30 CA$40.15

$8.20 ฿263

257.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.55

$1.23 ฿39.27

-8.13%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$21.2K ฿678.5K

18.64%

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

$22.2K CA$30.4K

$22.3K ฿714.9K

-0.42%

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

$218 CA$299

$69.9 ฿2,239

211.99%

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

$41.44 CA$56.8

$14.07 ฿451

194.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CA$79.7

$17.70 ฿567

228.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 CA$73.6

$41.41 ฿1,327

29.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 CA$71.8

$6.69 ฿214

682.96%

Cinema Ticket

$12.66 CA$17.34

$5.74 ฿184

120.56%

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

$885 CA$1,212

$299 ฿9,587

195.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.0K

$15.0K ฿480.9K

7.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$79.6

$54.8 ฿1,756

6.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.22 CA$66.1

$26.35 ฿844

83.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 CA$121

$84.7 ฿2,712

4.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$146

$69.7 ฿2,234

52.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 CA$1,913

$427 ฿13.7K

227.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,625

$241 ฿7,713

392.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 CA$3,142

$811 ฿26.0K

182.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CA$2,547

$498 ฿16.0K

272.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 CA$5,178

$2,022 ฿64.8K

86.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,509 CA$4,808

$1,524 ฿48.8K

130.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,117 CA$4,271

$639 ฿20.5K

387.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

14.20%

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

Last update for Calgary: April 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,396 in Calgary and $427 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 388% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70 in Calgary vs $18 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $246 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 179% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 388% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,396 in Calgary versus $427 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,433 per month in Calgary versus $872 in Chiang Mai – a 179% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $872 in Chiang Mai versus $2,433 in Calgary, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Calgary, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Calgary and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 179% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.