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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,410 per month in Drumheller vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,397 per month in Drumheller vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,384 per month in Drumheller vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Drumheller costs about 180% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Drumheller sits 80% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 CA$26.37

$1.96 ฿65.8

856.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.32 CA$61.0

$18.35 ฿617

136.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.25

$7.48 ฿252

44.92%

Cappuccino

$2.99 CA$4.21

$2.02 ฿67.8

48.02%

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

$1.53 CA$2.16

$0.85 ฿28.50

80.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.14

$0.36 ฿11.96

322.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 CA$5.16

$2.14 ฿71.8

71.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 CA$6.33

$3.59 ฿121

25.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 CA$1.32

$1.65 ฿55.5

-43.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$1.57 ฿52.7

56.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 CA$4.47

$1.19 ฿40.02

167.23%

Eggs

$3.58 CA$5.03

$1.94 ฿65.1

84.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 CA$16.95

$16.19 ฿544

-25.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.38 CA$17.42

$2.99 ฿101

314.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.03 CA$22.56

$10.94 ฿368

46.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 CA$6.81

$2.71 ฿91.2

78.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.94

$1.17 ฿39.25

17.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.61

$1.69 ฿56.7

135.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.10

$1.60 ฿54.0

126.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 CA$2.23

$1.38 ฿46.54

14.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CA$3.08

$1.20 ฿40.45

82.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 CA$3.82

$0.67 ฿22.50

305.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.74

$0.56 ฿18.73

248.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.95 CA$21.03

$4.64 ฿156

222.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.20 CA$17.17

$17.62 ฿593

-30.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 CA$4.35

$1.86 ฿62.5

66.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 CA$4.48

$3.30 ฿111

-3.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 CA$3.31

$0.88 ฿29.68

167.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.8 CA$86.9

$19.34 ฿650

219.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 CA$4.38

$1.36 ฿45.90

128.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 CA$2.31

$1.34 ฿44.98

22.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.29 CA$32.77

$8.21 ฿276

183.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.54

$1.22 ฿41.18

-10.66%

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

$25.5K CA$35.9K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

19.49%

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

$22.7K CA$31.9K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

0.68%

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

$201 CA$283

$70.7 ฿2,376

184.96%

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

$44.71 CA$62.9

$14.04 ฿472

218.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 CA$91.7

$17.49 ฿588

272.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.47 CA$59.8

$42.15 ฿1,417

0.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$13.08 CA$18.41

$5.92 ฿199

120.95%

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

$699 CA$983

$309 ฿10.4K

126.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.4K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-21.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.47 CA$69.6

$55.8 ฿1,875

-11.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.86 CA$58.9

$26.11 ฿878

60.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 CA$118

$83.0 ฿2,792

1.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 CA$143

$70.5 ฿2,369

44.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,336 CA$1,879

$432 ฿14.5K

209.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 CA$1,660

$239 ฿8,035

393.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 CA$2,792

$822 ฿27.7K

141.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,852 CA$2,606

$512 ฿17.2K

261.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,509 CA$6,345

$1,915 ฿64.4K

135.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,655 CA$5,143

$1,467 ฿49.3K

149.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

21.60%

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

Last update for Drumheller: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,336 in Drumheller 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Drumheller versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 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

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

Drumheller costs about 180% 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 $3,615 per month in Drumheller 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 $699 per month in Drumheller 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 49% more in Drumheller, 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 Drumheller at $2,410. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Drumheller it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $2,410 in Drumheller. 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, Drumheller makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.