Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Windsor

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $2,263 in Windsor, rent and utilities included – about $16,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$925
/mo nomad
Windsor
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,263
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,263 in Windsor, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $925
  • Windsor $2,263

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,120 in Windsor, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,414
  • Windsor $3,120

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,978 in Windsor, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,903
  • Windsor $3,978

Chiang Mai is about 59% cheaper than Windsor, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Windsor is 67% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Windsor
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.29 ฿76.5
$14.12 CA$19.96
-83.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.64 ฿656
$63.6 CA$89.9
-69.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.61 ฿188
$10.45 CA$14.78
-46.32%
Cappuccino
$1.66 ฿55.6
$3.46 CA$4.89
-52.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 ฿23.40
$2.59 CA$3.66
-72.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.24
$1.72 CA$2.44
-81.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 ฿80.4
$5.10 CA$7.21
-52.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71 ฿124
$5.98 CA$8.46
-37.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Windsor
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.3
$1.75 CA$2.48
11.43%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 ฿47.03
$2.12 CA$3.00
-33.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.31 ฿43.62
$3.07 CA$4.34
-57.33%
Eggs
$2.18 ฿72.9
$2.86 CA$4.05
-23.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.65 ฿556
$10.21 CA$14.43
63.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.76 ฿92.2
$10.37 CA$14.66
-73.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.11 ฿304
$14.36 CA$20.30
-36.56%
Apples (1kg)
$2.39 ฿80.0
$3.89 CA$5.50
-38.56%
Banana (1kg)
$1.03 ฿34.26
$0.99 CA$1.40
4.04%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.63 ฿54.4
$3.08 CA$4.36
-47.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.0
$3.63 CA$5.13
-58.68%
Potato (1kg)
$1.29 ฿43.13
$2.00 CA$2.83
-35.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.11 ฿37.03
$2.20 CA$3.11
-49.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿24.08
$2.24 CA$3.17
-67.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.59
$1.32 CA$1.86
-59.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31 ฿144
$12.86 CA$18.19
-66.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.95 ฿600
$11.76 CA$16.63
52.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 ฿52.9
$1.91 CA$2.70
-17.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.0
$3.32 CA$4.69
-14.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Windsor
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 ฿28.86
$2.69 CA$3.81
-68.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.3 ฿1,780
$87.3 CA$123
-38.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.21 ฿40.29
$2.28 CA$3.22
-46.93%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 ฿18.99
$1.02 CA$1.44
-44.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.35 ฿78.6
$14.27 CA$20.18
-83.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 ฿47.96
$1.19 CA$1.69
21.01%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K ฿692.8K
$26.7K CA$37.8K
-22.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K ฿895.7K
$21.7K CA$30.6K
23.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Windsor
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.3 ฿2,083
$184 CA$260
-66.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.11 ฿405
$37.76 CA$53.4
-67.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.94 ฿666
$55.3 CA$78.2
-63.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Windsor
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.07 ฿1,239
$44.83 CA$63.4
-17.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.78 ฿126
$28.59 CA$40.42
-86.78%
Cinema Ticket
$6.50 ฿217
$10.60 CA$14.98
-38.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Windsor
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$793 ฿26.5K
$491 CA$695
61.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿494.9K
$4,278 CA$6,048
246.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Windsor
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.7 ฿1,796
$44.21 CA$62.5
21.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.62 ฿823
$33.24 CA$47.00
-25.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.9 ฿3,036
$81.5 CA$115
11.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.1 ฿2,378
$80.7 CA$114
-11.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Windsor
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$455 ฿15.2K
$1,171 CA$1,655
-61.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$298 ฿9,954
$1,147 CA$1,622
-74.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$908 ฿30.4K
$1,803 CA$2,549
-49.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$554 ฿18.5K
$1,516 CA$2,144
-63.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,931 ฿64.5K
$2,964 CA$4,191
-34.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,445 ฿48.3K
$2,973 CA$4,203
-51.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Windsor
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$591 ฿19.7K
$3,117 CA$4,406
-81.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
4.71
18.26%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Windsor: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$298
Windsor
$1.1K 285% $850
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$235
Windsor
$319 35.4% $83
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$108
Windsor
$108 0.3% $0.3
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Windsor
$277 193% $182
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$79
Windsor
$241 206% $162
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Windsor
$105 73.4% $45
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Windsor
$66 31.9% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $1,171 in Windsor. 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 427% higher in Windsor, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $64.0 in Windsor. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $319 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇨🇦 Windsor
🕒 Local time
22:30 10:30 PM
11:30 11:30 AM
11 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
217,188
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 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 20, 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 Windsor 13,220 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Windsor

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 Windsor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Windsor?
Windsor costs about 145% 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 Windsor?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,394 in Windsor. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Windsor?
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 Windsor?
Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $491 in Windsor. 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 Windsor?
Groceries cost about 35% more in Windsor, 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 Windsor?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Windsor at $2,263. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Windsor it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Windsor?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $2,263 in Windsor. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Windsor?
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 Windsor?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Windsor makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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