Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Owen Sound

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $2,042 in Owen Sound, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 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
99

Cost of Living Index in Owen Sound
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Owen Sound Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Owen Sound

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,042

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Owen Sound

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 Owen Sound actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,042 in Owen Sound, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Owen Sound $2,042

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,127 in Owen Sound, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Owen Sound $3,127

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,212 in Owen Sound, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Owen Sound $4,212

Chiang Mai is about 54% cheaper than Owen Sound, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Owen Sound is 50% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.5

$14.32 CA$20.02

-84.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿640

$47.61 CA$66.6

-60.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$9.19 CA$12.86

-39.61%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.4

$3.58 CA$5.01

-53.35%

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

$0.64 ฿21.51

$2.12 CA$2.97

-69.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.29

$1.75 CA$2.45

-82.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$4.33 CA$6.05

-45.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿123

$5.76 CA$8.06

-36.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$2.43 CA$3.40

-19.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.41

$2.75 CA$3.85

-47.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.97

$3.51 CA$4.92

-62.11%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$4.36 CA$6.10

-47.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿554

$9.87 CA$13.80

66.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$16.08 CA$22.49

-82.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$23.97 CA$33.52

-61.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.3

$3.36 CA$4.70

-30.06%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.75

$1.85 CA$2.59

-47.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

$3.25 CA$4.54

-50.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$2.84 CA$3.97

-47.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.06

$2.39 CA$3.34

-46.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.14

$2.63 CA$3.68

-58.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.79

$2.18 CA$3.05

-67.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.34

$1.28 CA$1.78

-61.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$13.67 CA$19.13

-69.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿590

$13.75 CA$19.24

27.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.4

$4.58 CA$6.41

-64.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$4.88 CA$6.83

-43.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.27

$2.10 CA$2.94

-58.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,823

$62.0 CA$86.7

-12.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.00

$4.54 CA$6.35

-74.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.6

$25.08 CA$35.07

-90.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.82

$1.12 CA$1.56

29.46%

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

$21.1K ฿709.7K

$26.8K CA$37.5K

-21.39%

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

$26.9K ฿907.9K

$21.7K CA$30.4K

23.87%

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

$62.2 ฿2,095

$89.7 CA$125

-30.70%

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

$12.17 ฿410

$29.11 CA$40.72

-58.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿678

$47.43 CA$66.3

-57.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,257

$116 CA$162

-67.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$41.66 CA$58.3

-90.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$7.77 CA$10.87

-16.47%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$478 CA$669

53.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿497.6K

$7,258 CA$10.2K

103.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,799

$35.42 CA$49.55

50.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿830

$27.63 CA$38.65

-10.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,083

$86.9 CA$122

5.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,424

$108 CA$151

-33.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$1,341 CA$1,876

-64.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$903 CA$1,264

-65.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$2,200 CA$3,077

-54.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.3K

$1,634 CA$2,286

-61.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$2,971 CA$4,155

-80.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.26

5.89%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Owen Sound: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Owen Sound

$903 44.2% 192% $594

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Owen Sound

$417 20.4% 77.9% $183

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Owen Sound

$116 5.7% 6.8% $7.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Owen Sound

$166 8.1% 76% $72

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Owen Sound

$234 11.4% 201% $156

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Owen Sound

$75 * 3.7% 22.1% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Owen Sound

$131 6.4% 161% $81

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $1,341 in Owen Sound. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Owen Sound are about 5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $48 in Owen Sound. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $417 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇦 Owen Sound

🕒 Local time

13:30 1:30 PM

02:30 2:30 AM

11 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

21,341

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

1 CAD = 0.715 USD

1 CAD = 0.642 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 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.715 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.642 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Owen Sound 12,970 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Owen Sound

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 Owen Sound: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Owen Sound costs about 118% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. 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 $3,064 in Owen Sound. 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 $1,341 in Owen Sound.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $478 in Owen Sound. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 78% more in Owen Sound, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $2,042 in Owen Sound. 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 $2,042 in Owen Sound. 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.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Owen Sound makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.