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 $1,730 per month in Fort St John, BC vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,740 per month in Fort St John, BC vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,751 per month in Fort St John, BC vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Fort St John, BC costs about 101% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Fort St John, BC sits 29% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.92 CA$19.52

$1.96 ฿65.7

610.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.98 CA$61.7

$18.35 ฿616

139.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.45 CA$13.24

$7.48 ฿251

26.34%

Cappuccino

$4.42 CA$6.20

$2.02 ฿67.7

118.81%

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

$1.86 CA$2.61

$0.85 ฿28.45

118.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$0.36 ฿11.94

263.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 CA$9.37

$2.14 ฿71.7

212.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.59 CA$7.84

$3.59 ฿121

55.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 CA$3.33

$1.65 ฿55.4

44.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 CA$4.77

$1.57 ฿52.6

116.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.81 CA$5.34

$1.19 ฿39.95

220.17%

Eggs

$3.91 CA$5.48

$1.94 ฿65.0

101.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.51 CA$9.13

$16.19 ฿544

-59.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.39 CA$17.37

$2.99 ฿100

314.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.09 CA$26.77

$10.94 ฿367

74.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 CA$7.35

$2.71 ฿91.0

93.73%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 CA$0.94

$1.17 ฿39.18

-42.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.58

$1.69 ฿56.6

135.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 CA$5.03

$1.60 ฿53.9

124.37%

Potato (1kg)

$5.23 CA$7.33

$1.38 ฿46.45

278.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 CA$4.02

$1.20 ฿40.38

139.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CA$3.44

$0.67 ฿22.46

267.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 CA$3.07

$0.56 ฿18.70

291.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.61 CA$20.48

$4.64 ฿156

214.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.01 CA$29.46

$17.62 ฿591

19.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 CA$4.00

$1.86 ฿62.4

53.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 CA$4.32

$3.30 ฿111

-6.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$0.88 ฿29.63

69.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.99 CA$40.64

$19.34 ฿649

49.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 CA$10.13

$1.36 ฿45.82

431.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 CA$1.50

$1.34 ฿44.90

-20.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.59 CA$35.88

$8.21 ฿276

211.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.77

$1.22 ฿41.11

3.28%

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

$25.0K CA$35.0K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

16.98%

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

$20.3K CA$28.5K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

-9.87%

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

$87.8 CA$123

$70.7 ฿2,372

24.23%

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

$103 CA$144

$14.04 ฿471

632.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.2 CA$92.9

$17.49 ฿587

278.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 CA$79.3

$42.15 ฿1,415

34.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.55

$5.92 ฿199

87.33%

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

$746 CA$1,047

$309 ฿10.4K

141.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.7K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-19.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.7 CA$102

$55.8 ฿1,872

30.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.98 CA$67.3

$26.11 ฿877

83.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 CA$117

$83.0 ฿2,787

0.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 CA$207

$70.5 ฿2,365

109.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 CA$811

$432 ฿14.5K

33.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 CA$759

$239 ฿8,020

126.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 CA$1,879

$822 ฿27.6K

62.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 CA$1,534

$512 ฿17.2K

113.67%

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)

$3,079 CA$4,317

$579 ฿19.4K

431.52%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $578 in Fort St John, BC 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 432% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 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

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

Fort St John, BC costs about 101% 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 $2,595 per month in Fort St John, BC 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 $746 per month in Fort St John, BC 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 69% 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 $861, than in Fort St John, BC at $1,730. 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 $861 versus $1,730 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.