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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $950 in Chiang Mai versus $2,869 in Burnaby.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Chiang Mai versus $4,015 in Burnaby.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Chiang Mai versus $5,160 in Burnaby.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 67% less than in Burnaby, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 31% below, Burnaby is 108% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$21.82 CA$30.27

-90.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$87.5 CA$121

-77.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$9.54 CA$13.24

-39.31%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$4.81 CA$6.67

-61.95%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$2.35 CA$3.27

-66.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$1.80 CA$2.50

-82.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$7.19 CA$9.98

-67.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$6.10 CA$8.46

-39.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$2.40 CA$3.33

-15.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$2.92 CA$4.05

-45.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$3.60 CA$4.99

-60.56%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$3.30 CA$4.58

-33.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$14.34 CA$19.89

10.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$14.01 CA$19.43

-78.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$25.31 CA$35.10

-61.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$4.56 CA$6.33

-42.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.30 CA$1.81

-15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$4.65 CA$6.45

-64.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$4.59 CA$6.36

-66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$2.90 CA$4.02

-57.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$3.60 CA$4.99

-68.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$2.83 CA$3.93

-73.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$2.17 CA$3.01

-76.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$14.60 CA$20.25

-70.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$13.78 CA$19.11

30.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$2.10 CA$2.91

-19.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.38 CA$3.30

21.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$2.46 CA$3.42

-61.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$80.9 CA$112

-31.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$2.98 CA$4.13

-58.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.47 CA$2.04

-63.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$26.88 CA$37.28

-91.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.33 CA$1.84

8.27%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$28.3K CA$39.2K

-25.00%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$19.7K CA$27.3K

38.74%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$125 CA$173

-47.90%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$44.12 CA$61.2

-69.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$54.1 CA$75.0

-61.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$31.15 CA$43.20

29.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$10.89 CA$15.11

-63.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$14.55 CA$20.18

-53.88%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$667 CA$925

17.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$53.3 CA$73.9

5.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$52.5 CA$72.8

-52.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$105 CA$146

-12.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$80.1 CA$111

-6.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$1,690 CA$2,344

-71.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$1,550 CA$2,149

-81.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$2,476 CA$3,434

-63.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$2,189 CA$3,036

-75.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$6,866 CA$9,523

-71.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$5,585 CA$7,746

-74.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$3,162 CA$4,386

-80.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.76

17.02%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Burnaby: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Chiang Mai and $1,690 in Burnaby. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Burnaby pays 422% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $88.0 in Burnaby for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $438 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

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

Chiang Mai and Burnaby differ by about 202% in total monthly costs ($950 vs $2,869 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 422% lower in Burnaby. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $484 in Chiang Mai versus $1,690 in Burnaby. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $787 in Chiang Mai versus $667 in Burnaby. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 81% higher in Burnaby. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $950 in Chiang Mai versus $2,869 in Burnaby, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Burnaby. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Burnaby 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 Burnaby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.