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 $2,009 per month in Fort St John, BC vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,062 per month in Fort St John, BC vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,115 per month in Fort St John, BC vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Fort St John, BC costs about 112% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Fort St John, BC sits 46% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.82 CA$24.68

$2.08 ฿69.2

756.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.75 CA$60.6

$19.64 ฿651

122.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 CA$13.19

$5.65 ฿188

68.67%

Cappuccino

$3.88 CA$5.37

$1.81 ฿59.9

114.36%

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

$1.81 CA$2.51

$0.71 ฿23.66

154.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$0.32 ฿10.48

290.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.35 CA$8.80

$2.24 ฿74.2

183.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 CA$6.32

$3.63 ฿121

25.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.47 CA$4.81

$1.96 ฿65.0

77.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$1.50 ฿49.83

96.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.82 CA$5.29

$1.34 ฿44.32

185.07%

Eggs

$4.03 CA$5.58

$2.26 ฿75.1

78.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.07 CA$16.71

$16.26 ฿539

-25.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.58 CA$18.80

$2.95 ฿98.0

360.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.00 CA$26.30

$9.94 ฿330

91.15%

Apples (1kg)

$6.02 CA$8.34

$2.57 ฿85.3

134.24%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 CA$0.94

$1.06 ฿35.04

-35.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 CA$5.21

$1.61 ฿53.5

133.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 CA$5.03

$1.52 ฿50.4

138.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 CA$3.85

$1.27 ฿42.14

118.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.90

$1.07 ฿35.37

163.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 CA$2.88

$0.72 ฿23.89

188.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.42

$0.51 ฿16.87

384.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.37

$4.19 ฿139

251.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.48 CA$29.74

$17.87 ฿593

20.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.15 CA$7.13

$1.69 ฿56.2

204.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 CA$7.93

$2.84 ฿94.1

101.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 CA$1.97

$0.93 ฿30.70

53.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.62 CA$39.63

$53.9 ฿1,787

-46.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.95

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.13

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿80.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CA$1.78

$1.41 ฿46.84

-9.22%

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

$21.4K ฿711.3K

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

$27.3K ฿906.7K

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

$128 CA$177

$63.7 ฿2,112

101.04%

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

$100 CA$139

$12.85 ฿426

679.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CA$83.6

$20.22 ฿671

198.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.88 CA$19.21

$38.74 ฿1,285

-64.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 CA$15.22

$6.74 ฿223

63.06%

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

$729 CA$1,009

$778 ฿25.8K

-6.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿484.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 CA$99.0

$54.3 ฿1,801

31.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.09 CA$65.2

$25.45 ฿844

85.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$94.3 ฿3,129

12.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 CA$199

$73.4 ฿2,436

96.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 CA$1,033

$490 ฿16.2K

52.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 CA$1,011

$289 ฿9,596

152.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 CA$2,188

$894 ฿29.6K

76.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,422 CA$1,969

$517 ฿17.1K

175.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,100 CA$4,293

$602 ฿20.0K

414.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

5.57

9.52%

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

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $746 in Fort St John, BC versus $490 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 415% 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 $44.00 in Fort St John, BC versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $456 vs $240 – 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 112% 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 $3,013 per month in Fort St John, BC and $1,421 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 $729 per month in Fort St John, BC and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 90% 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 $947, than in Fort St John, BC at $2,009. 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 $947 versus $2,009 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.