Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and New Glasgow Nova Scotia

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $2,016 in New Glasgow Nova Scotia, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$938
/mo nomad
New Glasgow Nova Scotia
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,016
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in New Glasgow Nova Scotia

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 New Glasgow Nova Scotia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,016 in New Glasgow Nova Scotia, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $938
  • New Glasgow Nova Scotia $2,016

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,046 in New Glasgow Nova Scotia, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,426
  • New Glasgow Nova Scotia $3,046

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,075 in New Glasgow Nova Scotia, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,914
  • New Glasgow Nova Scotia $4,075

Chiang Mai is about 53% cheaper than New Glasgow Nova Scotia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 30% below the global median, while New Glasgow Nova Scotia is 49% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
New Glasgow Nova Scotia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.26 ฿75.4
$18.37 CA$25.97
-87.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.18 ฿641
$55.5 CA$78.4
-65.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.59 ฿187
$10.32 CA$14.59
-45.83%
Cappuccino
$1.72 ฿57.6
$3.59 CA$5.07
-52.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.54
$2.00 CA$2.83
-68.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿11.18
$1.84 CA$2.60
-82.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿78.7
$3.75 CA$5.30
-37.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.90 ฿130
$4.64 CA$6.56
-15.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
New Glasgow Nova Scotia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.05 ฿68.6
$1.93 CA$2.73
6.22%
White Bread (500g)
$1.40 ฿46.70
$2.68 CA$3.78
-47.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.28 ฿42.89
$3.33 CA$4.70
-61.56%
Eggs
$2.25 ฿75.3
$3.53 CA$4.98
-36.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.94 ฿566
$13.32 CA$18.83
27.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.74 ฿91.6
$9.67 CA$13.67
-71.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.36 ฿313
$13.32 CA$18.83
-29.73%
Apples (1kg)
$2.40 ฿80.3
$5.63 CA$7.95
-57.37%
Banana (1kg)
$1.01 ฿33.92
$1.44 CA$2.03
-29.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.61 ฿53.9
$4.51 CA$6.38
-64.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.52 ฿50.7
$4.12 CA$5.82
-63.11%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿42.90
$1.98 CA$2.79
-35.35%
Onion (1kg)
$1.11 ฿37.22
$2.18 CA$3.08
-49.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿24.09
$2.04 CA$2.88
-64.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.54
$2.07 CA$2.92
-74.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.33 ฿145
$14.16 CA$20.01
-69.42%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.73 ฿593
$14.06 CA$19.87
26.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 ฿54.4
$3.23 CA$4.57
-49.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ฿95.3
$4.01 CA$5.67
-28.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
New Glasgow Nova Scotia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.85 ฿28.31
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.9 ฿1,801
$57.0 CA$80.6
-5.42%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.17 ฿39.18
$2.81 CA$3.98
-58.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 ฿19.00
$1.36 CA$1.92
-58.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.37 ฿79.2
$20.58 CA$29.10
-88.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.32
$1.06 CA$1.50
36.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.5K ฿684.3K
$27.4K CA$38.7K
-25.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K ฿886.1K
$18.7K CA$26.4K
41.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
New Glasgow Nova Scotia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.3 ฿2,083
$121 CA$171
-48.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.27 ฿410
$40.64 CA$57.5
-69.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.97 ฿668
$56.1 CA$79.2
-64.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
New Glasgow Nova Scotia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.91 ฿1,267
$45.54 CA$64.4
-16.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.76 ฿126
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.71 ฿224
$12.64 CA$17.86
-46.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
New Glasgow Nova Scotia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 ฿26.6K
$367 CA$519
117.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿495.7K
$13.3K CA$18.8K
11.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
New Glasgow Nova Scotia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.3 ฿1,780
$59.2 CA$83.7
-10.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.05 ฿837
$35.34 CA$49.96
-29.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.6 ฿3,062
$101 CA$143
-9.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.5 ฿2,455
$117 CA$165
-37.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
New Glasgow Nova Scotia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$464 ฿15.5K
$1,050 CA$1,484
-55.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$305 ฿10.2K
$884 CA$1,249
-65.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$915 ฿30.6K
$1,554 CA$2,196
-41.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$552 ฿18.5K
$1,567 CA$2,216
-64.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,912 ฿63.9K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,438 ฿48.1K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
New Glasgow Nova Scotia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$595 ฿19.9K
$2,421 CA$3,422
-75.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
4.6
21.09%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for New Glasgow Nova Scotia: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$305
New Glasgow Nova Scotia
$884 190% $579
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$238
New Glasgow Nova Scotia
$373 56.6% $135
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$110
New Glasgow Nova Scotia
$141 28.3% $31
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$95
New Glasgow Nova Scotia
$217 130% $123
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$79
New Glasgow Nova Scotia
$264 235% $185
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
New Glasgow Nova Scotia
$67 * 8.6% $5.3
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$51
New Glasgow Nova Scotia
$71 37.9% $19

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $1,050 in New Glasgow Nova Scotia. 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 307% higher in New Glasgow Nova Scotia, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $55.0 in New Glasgow Nova Scotia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $373 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇨🇦 New Glasgow Nova Scotia
🕒 Local time
02:00 2:00 AM
16:00 4:00 PM
10 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
18,665
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai New Glasgow Nova Scotia 12,620 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • New Glasgow Nova Scotia

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 New Glasgow Nova Scotia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or New Glasgow Nova Scotia?
New Glasgow Nova Scotia costs about 115% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in New Glasgow Nova Scotia?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,024 in New Glasgow Nova Scotia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or New Glasgow Nova Scotia?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in New Glasgow Nova Scotia?
Kindergarten costs $797 per month in Chiang Mai and $367 in New Glasgow Nova Scotia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in New Glasgow Nova Scotia?
Groceries cost about 57% more in New Glasgow Nova Scotia, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or in New Glasgow Nova Scotia?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $938, than in New Glasgow Nova Scotia at $2,016. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in New Glasgow Nova Scotia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or New Glasgow Nova Scotia?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $938 versus $2,016 in New Glasgow Nova Scotia. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to New Glasgow Nova Scotia?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to New Glasgow Nova Scotia?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, New Glasgow Nova Scotia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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