Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge Bay and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge Bay and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,388 in Cambridge Bay versus $869 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,422 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,362 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,855 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cambridge Bay is roughly 175% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cambridge Bay is 78% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.67 CA$33.06

$1.98 ฿64.3

1095.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.9 CA$98.9

$18.80 ฿612

276.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.13

$7.75 ฿252

39.74%

Cappuccino

$3.82 CA$5.33

$1.92 ฿62.5

98.96%

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

$2.03 CA$2.83

$0.79 ฿25.79

156.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$0.36 ฿11.62

372.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.54 CA$7.74

$2.21 ฿72.1

150.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 CA$8.25

$3.66 ฿119

61.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.07

$1.65 ฿53.8

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.80

$1.63 ฿53.2

66.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.58 CA$5.00

$1.19 ฿38.86

200.84%

Eggs

$3.56 CA$4.97

$2.00 ฿65.1

78.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.07 CA$15.46

$15.98 ฿520

-30.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.60 CA$16.20

$3.03 ฿98.5

282.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.95 CA$20.88

$10.86 ฿354

37.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.64

$2.76 ฿90.0

46.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.99

$1.18 ฿38.42

20.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.06

$1.64 ฿53.5

120.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.27

$1.52 ฿49.51

148.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 CA$3.34

$1.38 ฿45.10

73.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.55

$1.19 ฿38.84

113.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CA$3.65

$0.70 ฿22.86

272.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.46

$0.56 ฿18.13

214.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.01 CA$19.57

$4.58 ฿149

205.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.51 CA$17.47

$16.56 ฿539

-24.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 CA$3.95

$1.83 ฿59.5

54.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.25

$3.20 ฿104

-4.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 CA$3.23

$0.88 ฿28.56

162.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 CA$87.9

$18.72 ฿610

236.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 CA$4.33

$1.36 ฿44.16

127.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.07

$1.34 ฿43.65

10.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.39 CA$35.46

$7.84 ฿256

223.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$1.23 ฿39.92

-9.76%

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

$24.8K CA$34.7K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

14.84%

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

$20.7K CA$28.9K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-8.32%

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

$145 CA$202

$70.5 ฿2,298

105.23%

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

$44.16 CA$61.7

$13.68 ฿445

222.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 CA$85.7

$17.45 ฿568

251.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.79 CA$58.4

$41.33 ฿1,346

1.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$11.21 CA$15.66

$5.77 ฿188

94.28%

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

$728 CA$1,017

$307 ฿10.0K

137.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.1K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-20.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 CA$76.7

$55.8 ฿1,817

-1.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.02 CA$54.5

$26.21 ฿854

48.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 CA$118

$85.8 ฿2,793

-1.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$150

$72.2 ฿2,353

48.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 CA$1,818

$430 ฿14.0K

202.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 CA$1,631

$239 ฿7,774

389.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,030 CA$2,835

$817 ฿26.6K

148.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,573

$511 ฿16.6K

260.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,048 CA$5,653

$1,983 ฿64.6K

104.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,771 CA$5,266

$1,484 ฿48.3K

154.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

29.20%

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

Last update for Cambridge Bay: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,302 in Cambridge Bay and $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in Cambridge Bay vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $241 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

Cambridge Bay vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cambridge Bay and Chiang Mai differ by about 175% in total monthly costs ($2,388 vs $869 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,582 in Cambridge Bay and $1,303 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,302 in Cambridge Bay versus $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,388 per month in Cambridge Bay versus $869 in Chiang Mai – a 175% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 236% less than in Cambridge Bay. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $869 in Chiang Mai versus $2,388 in Cambridge Bay, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Cambridge Bay. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Cambridge Bay 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 175% less than in Cambridge Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.