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: $2,462 in Cambridge versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,522 in Cambridge versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Cambridge versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Cambridge is 84% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 CA$20.85

$1.96 ฿65.8

656.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.2 CA$91.7

$18.35 ฿617

255.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 CA$14.07

$7.48 ฿252

33.69%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.18

$2.02 ฿67.8

82.18%

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

$2.21 CA$3.11

$0.85 ฿28.50

160.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.27

$0.36 ฿11.96

347.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 CA$8.21

$2.14 ฿71.8

172.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.56 CA$9.22

$3.59 ฿121

82.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.13

$1.65 ฿55.5

35.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 CA$3.16

$1.57 ฿52.7

43.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.21

$1.19 ฿40.02

151.26%

Eggs

$3.20 CA$4.50

$1.94 ฿65.1

64.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.67 CA$12.20

$16.19 ฿544

-46.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.81

$2.99 ฿101

299.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 CA$19.35

$10.94 ฿368

25.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.61

$2.71 ฿91.2

47.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.17 ฿39.25

4.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.18

$1.69 ฿56.7

117.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.51

$1.60 ฿54.0

144.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.84

$1.38 ฿46.54

97.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 CA$3.45

$1.20 ฿40.45

105.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 CA$3.16

$0.67 ฿22.50

234.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.21

$0.56 ฿18.73

180.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.40 CA$18.85

$4.64 ฿156

188.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.25 CA$17.24

$17.62 ฿593

-30.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 CA$3.44

$1.86 ฿62.5

31.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 CA$4.45

$3.30 ฿111

-4.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 CA$3.60

$0.88 ฿29.68

190.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 CA$93.7

$19.34 ฿650

244.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 CA$3.67

$1.36 ฿45.90

91.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 CA$2.40

$1.34 ฿44.98

27.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.84 CA$33.54

$8.21 ฿276

190.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.22 ฿41.18

-9.02%

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

$25.4K CA$35.7K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

18.94%

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

$20.3K CA$28.5K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

-9.96%

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

$151 CA$212

$70.7 ฿2,376

113.47%

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

$39.94 CA$56.2

$14.04 ฿472

184.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 CA$76.1

$17.49 ฿588

209.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.81 CA$41.94

$42.15 ฿1,417

-29.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 CA$16.26

$5.92 ฿199

95.10%

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

$556 CA$782

$309 ฿10.4K

80.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K CA$14.7K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-29.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 CA$78.0

$55.8 ฿1,875

-0.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.68 CA$48.80

$26.11 ฿878

32.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 CA$99.4

$83.0 ฿2,792

-14.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$70.5 ฿2,369

56.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,410 CA$1,984

$432 ฿14.5K

226.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 CA$1,938

$239 ฿8,035

476.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,684 CA$3,776

$822 ฿27.7K

226.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,127 CA$2,993

$512 ฿17.2K

315.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,165 CA$5,861

$1,915 ฿64.4K

117.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,848 CA$5,414

$1,467 ฿49.3K

162.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,007 CA$4,231

$579 ฿19.5K

418.94%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,410 in Cambridge and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 419% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $342 vs $243 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.

Average pay runs 419% higher in Cambridge, 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: $1,410 in Cambridge versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% 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 $18.00 versus $65.0 in Cambridge. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $2,462 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.