🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,589 in Canton, OH.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $2,555 in Canton, OH.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $3,522 in Canton, OH.
🙂Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 46% less than in Canton, OH, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 36% below, Canton, OH is 19% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Canton, OH
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.96฿64.0
$15.29$15.29
-87.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.81฿615
$74.1$74.1
-74.60%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.92฿259
$11.15$11.15
-28.97%
Cappuccino
$1.91฿62.6
$4.10$4.10
-53.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.41
$2.07$2.07
-59.42%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.51
$2.01$2.01
-82.59%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿72.1
$3.44$3.44
-35.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80฿124
$3.05$3.05
24.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Canton, OH
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64฿53.5
$0.85$0.85
92.94%
White Bread(500g)
$1.62฿53.1
$3.07$3.07
-47.23%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.18฿38.62
$4.19$4.19
-71.84%
Eggs
$2.01฿65.8
$3.21$3.21
-37.38%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.89฿520
$12.98$12.98
22.42%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.01฿98.5
$13.84$13.84
-78.25%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.77฿352
$16.22$16.22
-33.60%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61฿85.5
$5.35$5.35
-51.21%
Banana(1kg)
$1.22฿39.88
$1.12$1.12
8.93%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.70฿55.7
$3.25$3.25
-47.69%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.58฿51.5
$5.20$5.20
-69.62%
Potato(1kg)
$1.32฿43.14
$2.34$2.34
-43.59%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17฿38.23
$3.04$3.04
-61.51%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.67฿21.98
$2.15$2.15
-68.84%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56฿18.32
$0.98$0.98
-42.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.53฿148
$7.84$7.84
-42.22%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.20฿595
$11.18$11.18
62.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83฿60.0
$1.99$1.99
-8.04%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23฿106
$2.55$2.55
26.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Canton, OH
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.89฿29.00
$2.17$2.17
-58.99%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.38฿634
$39.28$39.28
-50.66%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.35฿44.20
$2.97$2.97
-54.55%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.35฿44.05
$1.59$1.59
-15.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.25฿270
$26.99$26.99
-69.43%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27฿41.64
$0.85$0.85
49.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K฿691.8K
$29.6K$29.6K
-28.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K฿735.3K
$25.4K$25.4K
-11.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Canton, OH
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.2฿2,294
$211$211
-66.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿450
$57.4$57.4
-76.00%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.60฿575
$55.8$55.8
-68.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Canton, OH
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.57฿1,360
$25.40$25.40
63.66%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.60฿216
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.78฿189
$7.04$7.04
-17.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Canton, OH
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306฿10.0K
$199$199
53.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.8K฿484.8K
$15.1K$15.1K
-2.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Canton, OH
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.4฿1,778
$41.92$41.92
29.70%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.14฿855
$38.79$38.79
-32.61%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.5฿2,764
$81.3$81.3
4.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.4฿2,270
$94.9$94.9
-26.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Canton, OH
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$424฿13.9K
$378$378
12.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$238฿7,788
$454$454
-47.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$825฿27.0K
$814$814
1.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515฿16.8K
$1,002$1,002
-48.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,049฿67.0K
$1,510$1,510
35.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,523฿49.8K
$1,483$1,483
2.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Canton, OH
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$635฿20.8K
$2,914$2,914
-78.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
6.51
-23.20%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Last update for Canton, OH: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $378 in Canton, OH. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Canton, OH pays 359% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $74.0 in Canton, OH for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $369 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 Canton, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Canton, OH?
Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 87% lower than in Canton, OH. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Chiang Mai or Canton, OH?
On paper, Canton, OH earns 359% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Chiang Mai vs Canton, OH?
Rent for a central apartment: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $378 in Canton, OH. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and Canton, OH?
Childcare runs $306 in Chiang Mai versus $199 in Canton, OH. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or Canton, OH?
Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Canton, OH. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or Canton, OH?
At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,589 in Canton, OH, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Canton, OH. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Canton, OH?
Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $852 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Canton, OH?
Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Canton, OH are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Canton, OH. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared