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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,336 per month in Hearst vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,406 per month in Hearst vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,476 per month in Hearst vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hearst costs about 174% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Hearst sits 76% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.18 CA$24.11

$2.04 ฿68.4

742.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 CA$98.9

$18.71 ฿626

276.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.07 CA$15.54

$7.86 ฿263

40.84%

Cappuccino

$3.70 CA$5.19

$2.03 ฿67.9

82.27%

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

$2.04 CA$2.86

$0.80 ฿26.71

155.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.40

$0.35 ฿11.71

388.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.44 CA$7.64

$2.14 ฿71.7

154.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 CA$8.42

$3.67 ฿123

63.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CA$3.05

$1.73 ฿57.8

25.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.81

$1.57 ฿52.5

73.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 CA$5.10

$1.20 ฿40.10

202.50%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.75

$1.97 ฿66.0

72.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 CA$15.77

$16.23 ฿543

-30.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.20

$3.06 ฿102

277.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.97 CA$21.01

$10.80 ฿361

38.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 CA$5.81

$2.77 ฿92.6

49.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.91

$1.17 ฿39.05

16.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.25

$1.71 ฿57.1

118.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.22

$1.59 ฿53.3

133.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 CA$3.54

$1.39 ฿46.63

81.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.56

$1.16 ฿38.67

118.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.71

$0.66 ฿22.11

300.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 CA$2.49

$0.52 ฿17.35

240.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.70 CA$19.23

$4.65 ฿155

194.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 CA$19.20

$17.78 ฿595

-23.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 CA$4.06

$1.79 ฿59.8

61.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 CA$4.29

$3.34 ฿112

-8.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 CA$3.27

$0.91 ฿30.35

156.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.7 CA$89.4

$18.64 ฿624

241.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 CA$4.54

$1.41 ฿47.17

129.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$1.34 ฿44.82

11.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.10 CA$36.63

$8.11 ฿271

221.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.63

$1.23 ฿41.27

-5.69%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

17.92%

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

$20.6K CA$28.9K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

-5.76%

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

$143 CA$200

$71.3 ฿2,386

100.22%

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

$44.36 CA$62.3

$14.01 ฿469

216.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.6 CA$87.9

$17.93 ฿600

249.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.69 CA$58.5

$40.82 ฿1,365

2.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.81 CA$20.79

$6.88 ฿230

115.26%

Cinema Ticket

$11.46 CA$16.08

$5.72 ฿191

100.35%

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

$733 CA$1,029

$308 ฿10.3K

137.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.7K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-18.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 CA$75.0

$55.8 ฿1,865

-4.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.55 CA$55.5

$26.04 ฿871

51.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 CA$121

$84.8 ฿2,837

1.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$149

$71.0 ฿2,375

49.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 CA$1,860

$423 ฿14.2K

213.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 CA$1,684

$242 ฿8,110

394.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 CA$2,854

$797 ฿26.7K

155.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,838 CA$2,579

$507 ฿17.0K

262.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,673 CA$5,156

$1,918 ฿64.2K

91.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,193 CA$4,481

$1,464 ฿49.0K

118.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,185 CA$4,470

$595 ฿19.9K

435.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

29.20%

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

Last update for Hearst: July 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,325 in Hearst versus $423 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 435% higher in Hearst, 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 $70.0 in Hearst versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $368 vs $244 – 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

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

Hearst costs about 174% 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 $3,504 per month in Hearst and $1,279 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 $733 per month in Hearst and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% more in Hearst, 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 $852, than in Hearst at $2,336. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hearst it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $2,336 in Hearst. 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, Hearst makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.