Cost of Living Comparison Between Campbell River and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Campbell River and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,616 in Campbell River versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,770 in Campbell River versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,924 in Campbell River versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Campbell River is roughly 202% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Campbell River is 95% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.75 CA$26.05

$1.94 ฿63.6

866.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 CA$103

$18.64 ฿609

296.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 CA$15.36

$7.82 ฿256

41.30%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.52

$1.95 ฿63.9

103.59%

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

$2.38 CA$3.31

$0.85 ฿27.80

180.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 CA$1.51

$0.35 ฿11.60

211.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.09 CA$7.07

$2.13 ฿69.7

138.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.43 CA$8.94

$3.73 ฿122

72.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.02 CA$4.19

$1.71 ฿56.0

76.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.48

$1.63 ฿53.3

98.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.18 CA$7.20

$1.14 ฿37.18

354.39%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.01

$1.93 ฿63.2

123.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.46 CA$11.76

$16.21 ฿530

-47.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.77 CA$13.57

$3.12 ฿102

213.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.63 CA$21.71

$10.90 ฿356

43.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 CA$4.58

$2.75 ฿90.1

20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 CA$2.21

$1.21 ฿39.56

31.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 CA$4.98

$1.62 ฿53.0

121.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$1.59 ฿51.9

135.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.34

$1.40 ฿45.75

174.29%

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 CA$4.19

$1.17 ฿38.20

157.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 CA$3.86

$0.66 ฿21.62

321.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$0.53 ฿17.24

416.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.40 CA$21.40

$4.69 ฿153

228.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.85 CA$24.80

$18.66 ฿610

-4.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.94 CA$5.47

$1.80 ฿58.8

118.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 CA$6.18

$3.23 ฿106

37.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 CA$2.02

$0.90 ฿29.28

61.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.9 CA$86.0

$19.21 ฿628

222.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 CA$3.93

$1.41 ฿45.96

100.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$1.29 ฿42.16

7.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.26 CA$46.21

$7.84 ฿256

324.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.27 ฿41.62

6.30%

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

$25.4K CA$35.3K

$21.3K ฿695.5K

19.34%

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

$21.3K CA$29.6K

$22.2K ฿726.1K

-4.18%

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

$54.4 CA$75.6

$69.1 ฿2,258

-21.20%

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

$53.5 CA$74.3

$14.08 ฿460

279.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.7 CA$102

$18.00 ฿588

309.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.56 CA$67.5

$41.06 ฿1,342

18.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$10.91 CA$15.16

$5.92 ฿193

84.29%

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

$634 CA$881

$299 ฿9,775

112.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K CA$19.5K

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-6.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.58 CA$63.3

$54.7 ฿1,788

-16.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.85 CA$62.3

$26.77 ฿875

67.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 CA$105

$85.0 ฿2,778

-11.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.2 CA$131

$70.6 ฿2,308

33.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,552 CA$2,157

$428 ฿14.0K

262.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,507 CA$2,094

$237 ฿7,759

534.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,511 CA$3,489

$801 ฿26.2K

213.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,289 CA$3,181

$515 ฿16.9K

344.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,365 CA$3,286

$617 ฿20.2K

283.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

27.60%

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

Last update for Campbell River: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,552 in Campbell River and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Campbell River pays 283% 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: $74.0 in Campbell River vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 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

Campbell River vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 202% lower than in Campbell River. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Campbell River pays 283% 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: $1,552 in Campbell River versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 222% less than in Campbell River. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $634 in Campbell River versus $299 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,616 in Campbell River, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Campbell River. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $866 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Campbell River 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 202% less than in Campbell River. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.