Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cambridge Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cambridge Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $872 in Chiang Mai versus $2,391 in Cambridge Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,337 in Chiang Mai versus $3,444 in Cambridge Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,802 in Chiang Mai versus $4,497 in Cambridge Bay.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 64% less than in Cambridge Bay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 35% below, Cambridge Bay is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.5

$23.58 CA$32.30

-91.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$70.0 CA$96.0

-73.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$11.11 CA$15.22

-31.14%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$3.67 CA$5.02

-47.68%

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

$0.84 ฿26.96

$2.06 CA$2.83

-59.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$1.70 CA$2.32

-78.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

$5.60 CA$7.67

-60.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$6.04 CA$8.28

-37.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$2.09 CA$2.87

-21.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿51.9

$2.61 CA$3.58

-37.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.96

$3.49 CA$4.78

-67.05%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.1

$3.37 CA$4.62

-42.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$11.01 CA$15.09

44.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.4

$11.59 CA$15.87

-73.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

$14.88 CA$20.38

-25.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.7

$3.98 CA$5.45

-31.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.77

$1.40 CA$1.92

-15.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.6

$3.68 CA$5.05

-53.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.4

$3.78 CA$5.17

-57.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.63

$2.48 CA$3.40

-43.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.78

$2.54 CA$3.48

-54.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.81

$2.64 CA$3.61

-73.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.63

$1.71 CA$2.34

-67.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$13.77 CA$18.87

-66.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

$14.11 CA$19.34

33.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.3

$2.94 CA$4.02

-38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$3.01 CA$4.12

6.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.23

$2.31 CA$3.16

-61.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿605

$63.0 CA$86.4

-70.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.27

$3.25 CA$4.46

-56.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.68

$1.48 CA$2.02

-12.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$25.78 CA$35.32

-68.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.27

$1.12 CA$1.54

9.82%

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

$21.2K ฿678.5K

$25.2K CA$34.5K

-15.86%

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

$22.3K ฿714.9K

$20.9K CA$28.6K

6.77%

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

$69.9 ฿2,239

$141 CA$193

-50.44%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$43.08 CA$59.0

-67.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$63.3 CA$86.7

-72.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,327

$41.53 CA$56.9

-0.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$11.35 CA$15.55

-49.43%

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

$299 ฿9,587

$746 CA$1,022

-59.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿480.9K

$12.0K CA$16.4K

25.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,756

$54.1 CA$74.1

1.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿844

$39.24 CA$53.8

-32.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,712

$86.3 CA$118

-1.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,234

$108 CA$148

-35.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$1,318 CA$1,805

-67.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,713

$1,178 CA$1,614

-79.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

$1,978 CA$2,710

-59.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

$1,782 CA$2,442

-72.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

$4,344 CA$5,951

-53.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.8K

$3,392 CA$4,647

-55.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

-22.60%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Last update for Cambridge Bay: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $427 in Chiang Mai and $1,318 in Cambridge Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $18 in Chiang Mai vs $70 in Cambridge Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $365 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 Cambridge Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Cambridge Bay differ by about 174% in total monthly costs ($872 vs $2,391 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,308 in Chiang Mai and $3,586 in Cambridge Bay to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $427 in Chiang Mai versus $1,318 in Cambridge Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $872 per month in Chiang Mai versus $2,391 in Cambridge Bay – a 174% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 234% less than in Cambridge Bay. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $872 in Chiang Mai versus $2,391 in Cambridge Bay, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Cambridge Bay. 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 Cambridge Bay 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 174% less than in Cambridge Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.