Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort St John, BC and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort St John, BC and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,728 per month in Fort St John, BC vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,737 per month in Fort St John, BC vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,746 per month in Fort St John, BC vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Fort St John, BC costs about 99% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Fort St John, BC sits 29% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.80 CA$19.10

$1.94 ฿63.5

611.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.90 CA$62.2

$18.64 ฿609

140.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 CA$13.20

$7.82 ฿255

21.87%

Cappuccino

$4.31 CA$5.97

$1.95 ฿63.8

121.03%

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

$1.85 CA$2.57

$0.85 ฿27.77

117.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$0.35 ฿11.58

257.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.35 CA$8.79

$2.13 ฿69.6

198.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.60 CA$7.76

$3.73 ฿122

50.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.25

$1.71 ฿56.0

37.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CA$4.55

$1.63 ฿53.2

101.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.94 CA$5.45

$1.14 ฿37.15

245.61%

Eggs

$3.86 CA$5.35

$1.93 ฿63.1

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.57 CA$9.10

$16.21 ฿530

-59.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.13 CA$16.79

$3.12 ฿102

288.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.41 CA$26.87

$10.90 ฿356

78.07%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 CA$7.23

$2.75 ฿90.0

89.82%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 CA$0.94

$1.21 ฿39.52

-43.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.33

$1.62 ฿53.0

137.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.19

$1.59 ฿51.8

135.85%

Potato (1kg)

$5.22 CA$7.23

$1.40 ฿45.70

272.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 CA$4.02

$1.17 ฿38.17

147.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CA$3.47

$0.66 ฿21.60

280.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CA$3.11

$0.53 ฿17.22

324.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.68 CA$20.33

$4.69 ฿153

213.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.27 CA$29.44

$18.66 ฿609

13.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 CA$4.08

$1.80 ฿58.8

63.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 CA$4.18

$3.23 ฿106

-6.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 CA$2.00

$0.90 ฿29.26

61.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.49 CA$40.84

$19.21 ฿628

53.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.24 CA$10.03

$1.41 ฿45.91

413.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 CA$1.41

$1.29 ฿42.12

-20.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.28 CA$36.38

$7.84 ฿256

235.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.75

$1.27 ฿41.58

-0.79%

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

$25.2K CA$34.9K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

18.46%

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

$20.5K CA$28.4K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-7.67%

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

$86.3 CA$119

$69.1 ฿2,256

24.93%

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

$104 CA$144

$14.08 ฿460

639.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 CA$90.1

$18.00 ฿588

261.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 CA$77.3

$41.06 ฿1,341

36.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$10.91 CA$15.10

$5.92 ฿193

84.29%

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

$745 CA$1,032

$299 ฿9,766

149.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.1K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-22.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 CA$103

$54.7 ฿1,787

35.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.13 CA$66.6

$26.77 ฿874

79.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 CA$117

$85.0 ฿2,776

-0.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 CA$201

$70.6 ฿2,306

105.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 CA$815

$428 ฿14.0K

37.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 CA$765

$237 ฿7,752

132.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 CA$1,803

$801 ฿26.2K

62.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,125 CA$1,557

$515 ฿16.8K

118.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,124 CA$4,325

$617 ฿20.2K

405.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.45

49.00%

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

Last update for Fort St John, BC: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $589 in Fort St John, BC versus $428 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 406% higher in Fort St John, BC, 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 $45.00 in Fort St John, BC versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $412 vs $246 – 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

Fort St John, BC vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort St John, BC costs about 99% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,592 per month in Fort St John, BC and $1,300 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 $745 per month in Fort St John, BC and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 67% more in Fort St John, BC, 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 $866, than in Fort St John, BC at $1,728. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fort St John, BC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,728 in Fort St John, BC. 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, Fort St John, BC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.