Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Terrace

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,898 in Terrace, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 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
91

Cost of Living Index in Terrace
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Terrace Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Terrace

🇨🇦 Canada

$1,898

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Terrace

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,898 in Terrace, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Terrace $1,898

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,871 in Terrace, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Terrace $2,871

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,844 in Terrace, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Terrace $3,844

Chiang Mai is about 51% cheaper than Terrace, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Terrace is 39% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$18.13 CA$25.33

-87.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$79.4 CA$111

-76.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$11.12 CA$15.53

-50.09%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$3.62 CA$5.06

-53.87%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$1.78 CA$2.49

-64.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$1.82 CA$2.55

-82.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$5.02 CA$7.02

-52.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$6.49 CA$9.07

-43.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$2.30 CA$3.21

-15.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$2.59 CA$3.61

-44.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$5.27 CA$7.36

-74.76%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$3.86 CA$5.39

-40.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$8.97 CA$12.53

83.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$15.74 CA$21.99

-82.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$13.58 CA$18.97

-31.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$4.25 CA$5.94

-44.71%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$1.23 CA$1.72

-21.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$3.11 CA$4.34

-48.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$3.89 CA$5.44

-61.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$3.21 CA$4.48

-60.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$3.18 CA$4.44

-65.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$2.44 CA$3.41

-70.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$1.04 CA$1.45

-52.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$11.82 CA$16.52

-64.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$13.39 CA$18.71

30.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$2.11 CA$2.95

-23.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$1.90 CA$2.65

46.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$1.40 CA$1.96

-37.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$31.05 CA$43.38

74.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$3.10 CA$4.33

-62.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$1.40 CA$1.96

-62.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$20.14 CA$28.14

-87.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$1.24 CA$1.73

16.94%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$28.5K CA$39.8K

-26.06%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$19.3K CA$27.0K

39.31%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$95.4 CA$133

-34.86%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$39.00 CA$54.5

-68.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$59.6 CA$83.2

-66.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$41.15 CA$57.5

-9.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$18.60 CA$25.99

-79.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$8.99 CA$12.55

-27.81%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$637 CA$890

15.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$12.6K CA$17.6K

17.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$36.69 CA$51.3

45.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$30.69 CA$42.88

-19.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$78.5 CA$110

16.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$104 CA$145

-30.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$1,013 CA$1,416

-52.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$840 CA$1,174

-63.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$1,643 CA$2,296

-38.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$1,319 CA$1,843

-51.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$4,346 CA$6,072

-45.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$3,250 CA$4,540

-51.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$3,152 CA$4,404

-81.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.05

10.30%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Terrace: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Terrace

$840 44.3% 172% $531

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Terrace

$371 19.6% 58.5% $137

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Terrace

$112 5.9% 3.3% $3.6

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Terrace

$194 10.2% 105% $100

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Terrace

$274 14.5% 254% $197

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Terrace

$47 2.5% 23.8% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Terrace

$59 3.1% 17.6% $8.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $1,013 in Terrace. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Terrace are about 5.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $79 in Terrace. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $371 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇦 Terrace

🕒 Local time

09:59 9:59 AM

19:59 7:59 PM

14 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

19,443

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1 CAD = 0.716 USD

1 CAD = 0.641 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 November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Terrace 10,700 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Terrace

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 Terrace: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Terrace costs about 103% 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 $2,848 in Terrace. 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 $1,013 in Terrace.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $637 in Terrace. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% more in Terrace, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,898 in Terrace. 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 $1,898 in Terrace. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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