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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,479 in Cambridge versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,553 in Cambridge versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,628 in Cambridge versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cambridge is roughly 186% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cambridge is 85% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.44 CA$20.08

$1.94 ฿63.5

644.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.4 CA$91.0

$18.64 ฿609

251.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.54 CA$13.27

$7.82 ฿255

21.99%

Cappuccino

$3.53 CA$4.91

$1.95 ฿63.8

81.03%

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

$2.20 CA$3.06

$0.85 ฿27.77

158.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.27

$0.35 ฿11.58

365.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 CA$8.27

$2.13 ฿69.6

179.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.69 CA$9.31

$3.73 ฿122

79.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CA$2.95

$1.71 ฿56.0

23.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 CA$3.11

$1.63 ฿53.2

36.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$1.14 ฿37.15

158.77%

Eggs

$3.09 CA$4.29

$1.93 ฿63.1

60.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 CA$11.41

$16.21 ฿530

-49.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.67 CA$16.23

$3.12 ฿102

274.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.43

$10.90 ฿356

28.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.26

$2.75 ฿90.0

37.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 CA$1.67

$1.21 ฿39.52

-0.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.71 CA$5.16

$1.62 ฿53.0

129.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.18

$1.59 ฿51.8

133.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.75

$1.40 ฿45.70

92.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CA$3.47

$1.17 ฿38.17

112.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 CA$2.98

$0.66 ฿21.60

224.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.28

$0.53 ฿17.22

209.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.68 CA$19.03

$4.69 ฿153

191.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.75 CA$17.73

$18.66 ฿609

-31.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.44

$1.80 ฿58.8

37.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 CA$4.47

$3.23 ฿106

-0.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.51 CA$3.49

$0.90 ฿29.26

178.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.6 CA$95.4

$19.21 ฿628

257.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 CA$3.51

$1.41 ฿45.91

78.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 CA$2.42

$1.29 ฿42.12

34.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.06 CA$33.46

$7.84 ฿256

206.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.59

$1.27 ฿41.58

-10.24%

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

$25.0K CA$34.7K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

17.35%

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

$20.2K CA$28.1K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-9.06%

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

$154 CA$214

$69.1 ฿2,256

123.01%

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

$38.79 CA$54.0

$14.08 ฿460

175.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 CA$76.8

$18.00 ฿588

206.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.12 CA$41.89

$41.06 ฿1,341

-26.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$11.62 CA$16.16

$5.92 ฿193

96.28%

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

$561 CA$780

$299 ฿9,766

87.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K CA$14.1K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-32.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 CA$78.7

$54.7 ฿1,787

3.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 CA$48.20

$26.77 ฿874

29.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 CA$97.7

$85.0 ฿2,776

-17.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$155

$70.6 ฿2,306

57.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,411 CA$1,963

$428 ฿14.0K

229.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 CA$1,916

$237 ฿7,752

480.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,702 CA$3,757

$801 ฿26.2K

237.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,106 CA$2,929

$515 ฿16.8K

308.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,307 CA$5,990

$1,975 ฿64.5K

118.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,927 CA$5,461

$1,475 ฿48.2K

166.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,989 CA$4,157

$617 ฿20.2K

384.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

32.80%

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

Last update for Cambridge: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,411 in Cambridge and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 384% 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: $65.0 in Cambridge vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $338 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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 186% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cambridge pays 384% 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: $1,411 in Cambridge versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Cambridge. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $65.0 in Cambridge. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,479 in Cambridge, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Cambridge. 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 Cambridge, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cambridge 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 186% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.