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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,493 per month in Hamilton vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,584 per month in Hamilton vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,676 per month in Hamilton vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hamilton costs about 190% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Hamilton sits 87% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.13 CA$25.41

$1.96 ฿65.7

825.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.3 CA$103

$18.35 ฿616

299.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 CA$15.39

$7.48 ฿251

46.79%

Cappuccino

$4.05 CA$5.68

$2.02 ฿67.7

100.50%

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

$2.10 CA$2.94

$0.85 ฿28.45

147.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 CA$2.53

$0.36 ฿11.94

402.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 CA$8.17

$2.14 ฿71.7

172.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.23

$3.59 ฿121

83.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.13

$1.65 ฿55.4

35.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 CA$2.98

$1.57 ฿52.6

35.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 CA$4.00

$1.19 ฿39.95

139.50%

Eggs

$3.14 CA$4.40

$1.94 ฿65.0

61.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 CA$10.85

$16.19 ฿544

-52.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.21

$2.99 ฿100

286.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.39 CA$20.18

$10.94 ฿367

31.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.48

$2.71 ฿91.0

44.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.17 ฿39.18

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 CA$4.97

$1.69 ฿56.6

110.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.47

$1.60 ฿53.9

143.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.67

$1.38 ฿46.45

89.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CA$3.07

$1.20 ฿40.38

82.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 CA$3.09

$0.67 ฿22.46

229.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 CA$2.80

$0.56 ฿18.70

255.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.47 CA$18.88

$4.64 ฿156

190.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 CA$17.71

$17.62 ฿591

-28.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 CA$3.38

$1.86 ฿62.4

29.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.31

$3.30 ฿111

-6.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 CA$3.68

$0.88 ฿29.63

197.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.4 CA$123

$19.34 ฿649

351.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 CA$4.96

$1.36 ฿45.82

160.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 CA$1.71

$1.34 ฿44.90

-8.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.62 CA$33.12

$8.21 ฿276

187.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.22 ฿41.11

-6.56%

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

$25.4K CA$35.6K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

18.87%

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

$20.4K CA$28.6K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

-9.39%

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

$155 CA$218

$70.7 ฿2,372

119.88%

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

$40.11 CA$56.2

$14.04 ฿471

185.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 CA$71.7

$17.49 ฿587

192.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.80 CA$51.6

$42.15 ฿1,415

-12.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.40 CA$31.40

$6.88 ฿231

225.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.57 CA$16.22

$5.92 ฿199

95.44%

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

$643 CA$901

$309 ฿10.4K

108.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.7K CA$30.4K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

45.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 CA$78.5

$55.8 ฿1,872

0.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.71 CA$47.26

$26.11 ฿877

29.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 CA$136

$83.0 ฿2,787

16.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$170

$70.5 ฿2,365

71.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 CA$1,895

$432 ฿14.5K

212.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 CA$1,778

$239 ฿8,020

430.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 CA$2,785

$822 ฿27.6K

141.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 CA$2,835

$512 ฿17.2K

294.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,710 CA$3,800

$1,915 ฿64.3K

41.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,749 CA$3,854

$1,467 ฿49.3K

87.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,871 CA$4,025

$579 ฿19.4K

395.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

32.40%

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

Last update for Hamilton: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,352 in Hamilton 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 396% higher in Hamilton, 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 $73.0 in Hamilton versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 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

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

Hamilton costs about 190% 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 $3,739 per month in Hamilton 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 $643 per month in Hamilton 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 40% more in Hamilton, 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 Hamilton at $2,493. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hamilton it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $2,493 in Hamilton. 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, Hamilton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.