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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,482 per month in Canberra vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,566 per month in Canberra vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,650 per month in Canberra vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Canberra costs about 186% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Canberra sits 85% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.05 A$22.37

$1.94 ฿63.5

727.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.3 A$120

$18.64 ฿609

362.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 A$13.74

$7.82 ฿255

26.09%

Cappuccino

$3.36 A$4.68

$1.95 ฿63.8

72.31%

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

$2.58 A$3.59

$0.85 ฿27.77

203.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 A$3.24

$0.35 ฿11.58

562.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 A$8.99

$2.13 ฿69.6

202.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.50 A$10.46

$3.73 ฿122

101.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 A$1.98

$1.71 ฿56.0

-16.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 A$3.74

$1.63 ฿53.2

64.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 A$2.57

$1.14 ฿37.15

62.28%

Eggs

$4.10 A$5.72

$1.93 ฿63.1

112.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 A$13.96

$16.21 ฿530

-38.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.22 A$12.85

$3.12 ฿102

195.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.94 A$20.82

$10.90 ฿356

37.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.56

$2.75 ฿90.0

18.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 A$3.98

$1.21 ฿39.52

136.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 A$4.26

$1.62 ฿53.0

88.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.79

$1.59 ฿51.8

206.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.18

$1.40 ฿45.70

62.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 A$2.93

$1.17 ฿38.17

79.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 A$3.31

$0.66 ฿21.60

260.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.80

$0.53 ฿17.22

143.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.41 A$42.38

$4.69 ฿153

548.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 A$20.63

$18.66 ฿609

-20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.10 A$7.10

$1.80 ฿58.8

183.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 A$8.51

$3.23 ฿106

89.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.26 A$4.55

$0.90 ฿29.26

262.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$168

$19.21 ฿628

526.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 A$5.69

$1.41 ฿45.91

189.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 A$2.39

$1.29 ฿42.12

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.63 A$56.6

$7.84 ฿256

418.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.60

$1.27 ฿41.58

-9.45%

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

$28.7K A$40.0K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

34.91%

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

$22.6K A$31.5K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

1.92%

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

$222 A$310

$69.1 ฿2,256

221.89%

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

$30.13 A$41.99

$14.08 ฿460

113.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 A$72.7

$18.00 ฿588

189.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 A$83.6

$41.06 ฿1,341

46.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.75 A$28.92

$6.96 ฿227

198.13%

Cinema Ticket

$13.59 A$18.93

$5.92 ฿193

129.56%

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

$1,763 A$2,456

$299 ฿9,766

489.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K A$18.7K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-10.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 A$98.3

$54.7 ฿1,787

28.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 A$79.0

$26.77 ฿874

111.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 A$139

$85.0 ฿2,776

17.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 A$161

$70.6 ฿2,306

63.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 A$2,157

$428 ฿14.0K

261.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 A$1,589

$237 ฿7,752

380.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,855 A$3,978

$801 ฿26.2K

256.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,754 A$2,444

$515 ฿16.8K

240.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,990 A$12.5K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

355.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,079 A$8,471

$1,475 ฿48.2K

312.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,626 A$6,446

$617 ฿20.2K

649.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.29

25.80%

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

Last update for Canberra: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,548 in Canberra versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 649% higher in Canberra, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Canberra versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $246 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,482 in Canberra, $866 in Chiang Mai – roughly 186% apart. Canberra costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,723 per month in Canberra and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,482 in Canberra and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 527% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Canberra at $2,482. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Canberra it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $866 in Chiang Mai to $2,482 in Canberra. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Canberra makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.