Cost of Living Comparison Between Dartmouth and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Dartmouth and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,118 per month in Dartmouth vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,187 per month in Dartmouth vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,257 per month in Dartmouth vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dartmouth costs about 146% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Dartmouth sits 59% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.52 CA$20.35

$1.96 ฿65.7

640.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.1 CA$85.6

$18.35 ฿616

232.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.67 CA$12.15

$7.48 ฿251

15.91%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.14

$2.02 ฿67.7

81.68%

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

$1.66 CA$2.33

$0.85 ฿28.45

95.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 CA$1.80

$0.36 ฿11.94

255.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.03 CA$8.45

$2.14 ฿71.7

181.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 CA$8.21

$3.59 ฿121

62.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 CA$2.71

$1.65 ฿55.4

16.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 CA$3.64

$1.57 ฿52.6

64.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.57 CA$5.00

$1.19 ฿39.95

200.00%

Eggs

$3.34 CA$4.69

$1.94 ฿65.0

72.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 CA$14.04

$16.19 ฿544

-38.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.23 CA$15.75

$2.99 ฿100

275.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.59 CA$21.85

$10.94 ฿367

42.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.97

$2.71 ฿91.0

30.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 CA$2.30

$1.17 ฿39.18

40.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.16

$1.69 ฿56.6

117.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.39 CA$7.55

$1.60 ฿53.9

236.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 CA$2.94

$1.38 ฿46.45

52.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 CA$3.10

$1.20 ฿40.38

84.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 CA$3.89

$0.67 ฿22.46

313.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.61

$0.56 ฿18.70

232.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.79 CA$20.73

$4.64 ฿156

218.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 CA$19.52

$17.62 ฿591

-21.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.23 CA$4.53

$1.86 ฿62.4

73.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 CA$4.73

$3.30 ฿111

2.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 CA$2.77

$0.88 ฿29.63

125.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.0 CA$86.9

$19.34 ฿649

220.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CA$10.75

$1.36 ฿45.82

463.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.08

$1.34 ฿44.90

10.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 CA$41.67

$8.21 ฿276

262.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.70

$1.22 ฿41.11

-0.82%

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

$24.7K CA$34.7K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

15.87%

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

$21.4K CA$30.0K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

-4.87%

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

$72.6 CA$102

$70.7 ฿2,372

2.72%

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

$37.43 CA$52.5

$14.04 ฿471

166.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.3 CA$117

$17.49 ฿587

376.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.95 CA$51.8

$42.15 ฿1,415

-12.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$10.98 CA$15.40

$5.92 ฿199

85.47%

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

$163 CA$229

$309 ฿10.4K

-47.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.3K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-21.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.19 CA$57.8

$55.8 ฿1,872

-26.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.22 CA$49.38

$26.11 ฿877

34.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 CA$98.1

$83.0 ฿2,787

-15.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.8 CA$109

$70.5 ฿2,365

10.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,800

$432 ฿14.5K

197.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,101 CA$1,543

$239 ฿8,020

360.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,077 CA$2,912

$822 ฿27.6K

152.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,876 CA$2,631

$512 ฿17.2K

266.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,577 CA$3,613

$579 ฿19.4K

344.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

12.40%

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

Last update for Dartmouth: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,284 in Dartmouth versus $432 in Chiang Mai. 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 345% higher in Dartmouth, 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 $61.0 in Dartmouth versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 vs $243 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Dartmouth vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dartmouth costs about 146% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $3,177 per month in Dartmouth and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $163 per month in Dartmouth and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% more in Dartmouth, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Dartmouth at $2,118. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dartmouth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $2,118 in Dartmouth. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

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