Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and High Level

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $2,168 in High Level, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
109

Cost of Living Index in High Level
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High Level Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

High Level

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,168

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in High Level

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in High Level actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,168 in High Level, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
High Level $2,168

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,250 in High Level, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
High Level $3,250

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,332 in High Level, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
High Level $4,332

Chiang Mai is about 57% cheaper than High Level, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while High Level is 59% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$19.04 CA$26.71

-88.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$57.0 CA$80.0

-66.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$10.18 CA$14.28

-45.48%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$3.41 CA$4.79

-51.03%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$1.90 CA$2.66

-66.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$1.83 CA$2.57

-83.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$5.39 CA$7.57

-56.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$6.29 CA$8.82

-41.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$2.30 CA$3.23

-15.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$2.85 CA$4.00

-49.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$3.60 CA$5.05

-63.06%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$3.62 CA$5.08

-37.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$9.52 CA$13.36

72.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$10.62 CA$14.90

-73.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$14.27 CA$20.02

-34.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$3.39 CA$4.75

-30.68%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$1.36 CA$1.91

-28.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$3.47 CA$4.86

-53.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$3.73 CA$5.23

-59.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$2.58 CA$3.62

-50.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$2.12 CA$2.97

-48.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$2.77 CA$3.88

-74.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$1.79 CA$2.52

-72.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$14.78 CA$20.74

-71.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$12.93 CA$18.14

35.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$2.70 CA$3.79

-40.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$3.02 CA$4.24

-7.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$2.22 CA$3.11

-60.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$55.5 CA$77.9

-2.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$2.59 CA$3.64

-55.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$1.44 CA$2.02

-63.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$22.89 CA$32.12

-89.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$1.13 CA$1.59

28.32%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$31.5K CA$44.2K

-33.16%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$22.4K CA$31.4K

20.52%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$121 CA$170

-48.81%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$40.46 CA$56.8

-69.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$58.1 CA$81.5

-65.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$36.13 CA$50.7

3.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$19.53 CA$27.41

-80.70%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$10.77 CA$15.11

-39.74%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$580 CA$814

26.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$14.4K CA$20.2K

2.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$49.88 CA$70.0

7.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$36.48 CA$51.2

-32.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$92.9 CA$130

-1.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$89.6 CA$126

-19.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$1,288 CA$1,807

-62.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$1,064 CA$1,493

-70.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$1,988 CA$2,790

-49.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$1,862 CA$2,614

-65.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$4,808 CA$6,747

-50.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$3,870 CA$5,431

-58.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.68

19.02%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for High Level: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

High Level

$1.1K 49.1% 244% $755

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

High Level

$352 16.3% 50.4% $118

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

High Level

$121 5.6% 11.4% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

High Level

$220 10.2% 133% $126

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

High Level

$278 12.8% 259% $201

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

High Level

$74 3.4% 20.9% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

High Level

$58 2.7% 14.7% $7.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $1,288 in High Level. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $57 in High Level. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $352 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇦 High Level

🕒 Local time

02:33 2:33 AM

13:33 1:33 PM

13 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

3,200

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 CAD = 0.713 USD

1 CAD = 0.64 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.64 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai High Level 10,800 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
High Level

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 High Level: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

High Level costs about 132% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,251 in High Level. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $1,288 in High Level.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $580 in High Level. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% more in High Level, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $2,168 in High Level. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $2,168 in High Level. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Chiang Mai is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 57% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.