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: $2,335 in Cambridge Bay versus $950 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,396 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,430 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,456 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,909 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cambridge Bay is roughly 146% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cambridge Bay is 69% above, Chiang Mai is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.64 CA$31.40

$2.10 ฿69.4

978.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.0 CA$94.4

$19.84 ฿656

242.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 CA$15.12

$5.79 ฿192

88.26%

Cappuccino

$3.61 CA$5.01

$1.83 ฿60.5

97.27%

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

$2.02 CA$2.80

$0.78 ฿25.63

158.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.25

$0.31 ฿10.38

425.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.48 CA$7.60

$2.34 ฿77.3

134.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.61 CA$7.78

$3.70 ฿122

51.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 CA$2.85

$2.03 ฿67.1

1.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 CA$3.49

$1.60 ฿52.8

57.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.27 CA$4.53

$1.42 ฿46.80

130.28%

Eggs

$3.57 CA$4.95

$2.18 ฿72.0

63.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 CA$14.24

$15.91 ฿526

-35.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.87 CA$16.46

$3.07 ฿102

286.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.60 CA$20.25

$9.87 ฿326

47.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 CA$5.28

$2.63 ฿86.9

44.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.89

$1.10 ฿36.23

23.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.23

$1.63 ฿53.9

131.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.39

$1.53 ฿50.6

153.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$1.24 ฿41.16

111.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 CA$3.03

$1.13 ฿37.40

92.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CA$3.42

$0.74 ฿24.41

232.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.30

$0.50 ฿16.50

232.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.63 CA$20.29

$4.28 ฿142

241.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.49 CA$17.32

$17.97 ฿594

-30.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 CA$3.82

$1.70 ฿56.2

62.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CA$4.44

$2.90 ฿95.8

10.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.32

$0.94 ฿31.15

154.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.1 CA$88.8

$55.3 ฿1,828

15.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 CA$4.09

$1.23 ฿40.80

139.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$0.53 ฿17.67

183.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.10 CA$33.43

$2.40 ฿79.4

904.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.57

$1.44 ฿47.60

-21.53%

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

$28.9K CA$40.1K

$21.2K ฿700.9K

36.31%

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

$19.5K CA$27.0K

$27.3K ฿903.0K

-28.72%

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

$139 CA$192

$64.9 ฿2,147

113.75%

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

$39.86 CA$55.3

$13.35 ฿442

198.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 CA$77.4

$20.83 ฿689

167.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.43 CA$57.5

$40.42 ฿1,337

2.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.74 CA$25.99

$3.95 ฿131

374.43%

Cinema Ticket

$11.59 CA$16.08

$6.71 ฿222

72.73%

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

$775 CA$1,074

$787 ฿26.0K

-1.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K CA$18.4K

$15.1K ฿500.1K

-12.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 CA$74.8

$56.2 ฿1,859

-4.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.08 CA$54.2

$24.95 ฿825

56.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$122

$92.7 ฿3,066

-5.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 CA$142

$75.1 ฿2,484

36.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 CA$1,764

$484 ฿16.0K

162.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 CA$1,588

$287 ฿9,500

298.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 CA$2,751

$910 ฿30.1K

118.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 CA$2,444

$531 ฿17.5K

232.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,315 CA$5,984

$1,980 ฿65.5K

117.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,690 CA$5,117

$1,451 ฿48.0K

154.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

5.57

-15.98%

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

Last update for Cambridge Bay: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,272 in Cambridge Bay and $484 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Cambridge Bay vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $356 vs $242 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 146% in total monthly costs ($2,335 vs $950 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,503 in Cambridge Bay and $1,426 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: $1,272 in Cambridge Bay versus $484 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,335 per month in Cambridge Bay versus $950 in Chiang Mai – a 146% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 16% less than in Cambridge Bay. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $950 in Chiang Mai versus $2,335 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 146% less than in Cambridge Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.