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: $2,652 in Campbell River versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,823 in Campbell River versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,993 in Campbell River versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Campbell River is roughly 208% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Campbell River is 99% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.12 CA$25.50

$1.96 ฿65.8

824.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.5 CA$103

$18.35 ฿617

300.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.12 CA$15.65

$7.48 ฿252

48.66%

Cappuccino

$4.03 CA$5.68

$2.02 ฿67.8

99.50%

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

$2.38 CA$3.36

$0.85 ฿28.50

180.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 CA$1.57

$0.36 ฿11.96

208.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 CA$7.06

$2.14 ฿71.8

134.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.09 CA$8.57

$3.59 ฿121

69.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.10 CA$4.37

$1.65 ฿55.5

87.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 CA$4.47

$1.57 ฿52.7

102.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.09 CA$7.16

$1.19 ฿40.02

327.73%

Eggs

$4.50 CA$6.33

$1.94 ฿65.1

131.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.35 CA$11.75

$16.19 ฿544

-48.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.14 CA$14.27

$2.99 ฿101

239.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.30 CA$21.53

$10.94 ฿368

39.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.55

$2.71 ฿91.2

19.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.24

$1.17 ฿39.25

36.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.23

$1.69 ฿56.7

120.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 CA$5.09

$1.60 ฿54.0

125.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.49

$1.38 ฿46.54

182.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.00 CA$4.22

$1.20 ฿40.45

150.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 CA$3.91

$0.67 ฿22.50

314.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 CA$3.71

$0.56 ฿18.73

369.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 CA$21.74

$4.64 ฿156

232.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.54 CA$24.67

$17.62 ฿593

-0.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.81 CA$5.36

$1.86 ฿62.5

104.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 CA$6.31

$3.30 ฿111

35.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.44 CA$2.02

$0.88 ฿29.68

63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 CA$88.6

$19.34 ฿650

225.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 CA$3.94

$1.36 ฿45.90

105.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 CA$1.94

$1.34 ฿44.98

2.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.90 CA$46.30

$8.21 ฿276

300.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.22 ฿41.18

9.84%

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

$25.1K CA$35.4K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

17.72%

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

$21.2K CA$29.9K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

-5.81%

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

$55.7 CA$78.3

$70.7 ฿2,376

-21.25%

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

$53.2 CA$74.8

$14.04 ฿472

278.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.9 CA$101

$17.49 ฿588

310.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.74 CA$68.6

$42.15 ฿1,417

15.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$11.11 CA$15.63

$5.92 ฿199

87.67%

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

$646 CA$909

$309 ฿10.4K

109.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K CA$20.1K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-4.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.01 CA$63.3

$55.8 ฿1,875

-19.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.24 CA$62.3

$26.11 ฿878

69.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 CA$106

$83.0 ฿2,792

-9.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.1 CA$132

$70.5 ฿2,369

33.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 CA$2,254

$432 ฿14.5K

270.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,498 CA$2,108

$239 ฿8,035

527.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,521 CA$3,547

$822 ฿27.7K

206.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,297 CA$3,232

$512 ฿17.2K

348.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,277 CA$3,204

$579 ฿19.5K

292.97%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,602 in Campbell River and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Campbell River pays 293% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 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

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

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 208% 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.

Average pay runs 293% higher in Campbell River, 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: $1,602 in Campbell River versus $432 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 226% less than in Campbell River. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $646 in Campbell River versus $309 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $2,652 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 $861 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 208% less than in Campbell River. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.