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: $2,408 in Cambridge Bay versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,458 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,360 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,508 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,867 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cambridge Bay is roughly 183% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cambridge Bay is 81% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.76 CA$33.35

$2.04 ฿68.4

1064.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.2 CA$98.5

$18.71 ฿626

275.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 CA$15.57

$7.86 ฿263

41.09%

Cappuccino

$3.76 CA$5.27

$2.03 ฿67.9

85.22%

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

$1.99 CA$2.79

$0.80 ฿26.71

148.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$0.35 ฿11.71

385.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.44 CA$7.63

$2.14 ฿71.7

154.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 CA$8.41

$3.67 ฿123

63.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 CA$2.95

$1.73 ฿57.8

21.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$1.57 ฿52.5

72.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 CA$4.92

$1.20 ฿40.10

192.50%

Eggs

$3.51 CA$4.93

$1.97 ฿66.0

78.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.35 CA$15.93

$16.23 ฿543

-30.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.82 CA$16.59

$3.06 ฿102

286.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.89 CA$20.90

$10.80 ฿361

37.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.96 CA$5.56

$2.77 ฿92.6

42.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 CA$1.99

$1.17 ฿39.05

20.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 CA$5.27

$1.71 ฿57.1

119.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.38

$1.59 ฿53.3

140.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CA$3.46

$1.39 ฿46.63

76.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.57

$1.16 ฿38.67

118.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CA$3.54

$0.66 ฿22.11

281.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 CA$2.48

$0.52 ฿17.35

240.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.70 CA$19.23

$4.65 ฿155

194.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.42 CA$17.44

$17.78 ฿595

-30.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 CA$4.05

$1.79 ฿59.8

61.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 CA$4.29

$3.34 ฿112

-8.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 CA$3.42

$0.91 ฿30.35

167.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 CA$86.5

$18.64 ฿624

230.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 CA$4.48

$1.41 ฿47.17

126.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$1.34 ฿44.82

8.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.20 CA$36.78

$8.11 ฿271

223.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.23 ฿41.27

-8.94%

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

$24.7K CA$34.6K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

15.08%

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

$20.2K CA$28.4K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

-7.35%

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

$141 CA$198

$71.3 ฿2,386

97.66%

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

$43.14 CA$60.6

$14.01 ฿469

207.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 CA$88.7

$17.93 ฿600

252.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.42 CA$59.5

$40.82 ฿1,365

3.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$11.26 CA$15.80

$5.72 ฿191

96.85%

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

$738 CA$1,036

$308 ฿10.3K

139.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.7K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-18.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 CA$74.8

$55.8 ฿1,865

-4.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.86 CA$54.5

$26.04 ฿871

49.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 CA$120

$84.8 ฿2,837

0.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$153

$71.0 ฿2,375

53.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 CA$1,808

$423 ฿14.2K

204.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 CA$1,648

$242 ฿8,110

384.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,801

$797 ฿26.7K

150.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,785 CA$2,506

$507 ฿17.0K

252.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,699 CA$5,191

$1,918 ฿64.2K

92.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,096 CA$4,345

$1,464 ฿49.0K

111.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,288 in Cambridge Bay and $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Cambridge Bay vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 vs $244 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 183% in total monthly costs ($2,408 vs $852 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,613 in Cambridge Bay and $1,279 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: $1,288 in Cambridge Bay versus $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,408 per month in Cambridge Bay versus $852 in Chiang Mai – a 183% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 230% less than in Cambridge Bay. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $2,408 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 183% less than in Cambridge Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.