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: $2,523 in Calgary versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Calgary is roughly 191% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Calgary is 88% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.91

$1.94 ฿63.8

858.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.6

$18.64 ฿611

275.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.27

$7.82 ฿256

40.15%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.20

$1.95 ฿64.1

91.28%

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

$1.99 CA$2.77

$0.85 ฿27.88

134.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.40

$0.35 ฿11.63

391.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.99

$2.13 ฿69.9

135.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.06

$3.73 ฿122

74.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.10

$1.71 ฿56.2

29.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.72

$1.63 ฿53.4

63.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.55

$1.14 ฿37.30

185.96%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.67

$1.93 ฿63.4

73.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.21

$16.21 ฿532

-10.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$18.04

$3.12 ฿102

315.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.51

$10.90 ฿357

48.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.02

$2.75 ฿90.3

57.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.89

$1.21 ฿39.68

11.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.33

$1.62 ฿53.2

136.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.83

$1.59 ฿52.0

162.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.69

$1.40 ฿45.89

89.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.82

$1.17 ฿38.32

134.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.85

$0.66 ฿21.69

318.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.72

$0.53 ฿17.29

267.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.88

$4.69 ฿154

219.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.45

$18.66 ฿612

-21.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.96

$1.80 ฿59.0

57.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.60

$3.23 ฿106

24.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.90

$0.90 ฿29.37

211.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$120

$19.21 ฿630

348.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.02

$1.41 ฿46.10

155.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.84

$1.29 ฿42.29

2.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.43

$7.84 ฿257

270.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.27 ฿41.75

-11.81%

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

$24.9K CA$34.6K

$21.3K ฿697.7K

16.82%

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

$22.0K CA$30.6K

$22.2K ฿728.3K

-1.06%

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

$217 CA$303

$69.1 ฿2,265

214.45%

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

$41.55 CA$57.9

$14.08 ฿462

195.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.9

$18.00 ฿590

222.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.3

$41.06 ฿1,346

33.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.6

$6.96 ฿228

658.91%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.79

$5.92 ฿194

115.71%

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

$874 CA$1,218

$299 ฿9,805

192.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.2K

$15.0K ฿490.3K

6.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$82.0

$54.7 ฿1,794

7.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.8

$26.77 ฿878

73.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$85.0 ฿2,787

2.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$152

$70.6 ฿2,315

54.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,970

$428 ฿14.0K

230.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,634

$237 ฿7,782

393.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,232

$801 ฿26.3K

189.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,629

$515 ฿16.9K

265.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,424

$1,975 ฿64.7K

97.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,882

$1,475 ฿48.4K

137.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,389

$617 ฿20.2K

410.03%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 410% 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: $70.0 in Calgary vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 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 191% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 410% 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: $1,414 in Calgary versus $428 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 $19.00 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,523 per month in Calgary versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 191% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,523 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 191% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.