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 $2,366 per month in Hearst vs $872 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,408 per month in Hearst vs $1,337 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,450 per month in Hearst vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hearst costs about 171% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Hearst sits 76% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.96 CA$23.23

$2.01 ฿64.5

743.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 CA$94.8

$18.23 ฿584

279.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.08

$7.65 ฿245

43.92%

Cappuccino

$3.81 CA$5.22

$1.92 ฿61.5

98.44%

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

$2.04 CA$2.79

$0.84 ฿26.97

142.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.25

$0.36 ฿11.42

355.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.56 CA$7.61

$2.19 ฿70.2

153.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 CA$8.21

$3.79 ฿121

58.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CA$2.98

$1.64 ฿52.5

32.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 CA$3.62

$1.62 ฿52.0

62.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.87

$1.15 ฿36.98

209.57%

Eggs

$3.52 CA$4.82

$1.94 ฿62.2

81.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.34 CA$15.53

$15.94 ฿511

-28.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.68 CA$16.00

$3.10 ฿99.5

276.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 CA$20.04

$11.07 ฿355

32.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.49

$2.71 ฿86.8

47.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 CA$1.92

$1.18 ฿37.80

18.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.71 CA$5.08

$1.71 ฿54.7

116.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.17

$1.61 ฿51.5

134.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 CA$3.31

$1.39 ฿44.66

73.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 CA$3.47

$1.15 ฿36.81

120.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CA$3.54

$0.71 ฿22.83

263.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.33

$0.55 ฿17.65

209.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.85 CA$18.97

$4.57 ฿146

203.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.63 CA$20.04

$18.87 ฿605

-22.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 CA$4.05

$1.82 ฿58.4

62.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 CA$4.15

$3.21 ฿103

-5.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 CA$3.15

$0.88 ฿28.24

161.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 CA$86.3

$18.89 ฿606

233.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 CA$4.46

$1.41 ฿45.30

130.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.05

$1.30 ฿41.71

15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.90 CA$35.48

$8.20 ฿263

215.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.61

$1.23 ฿39.29

-4.88%

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

$24.8K CA$34.0K

$21.2K ฿678.9K

17.25%

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

$20.3K CA$27.8K

$22.3K ฿715.3K

-9.17%

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

$142 CA$195

$69.9 ฿2,240

103.82%

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

$44.44 CA$60.9

$14.07 ฿451

215.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.7 CA$87.2

$17.70 ฿567

259.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.17 CA$57.8

$41.41 ฿1,328

1.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.93 CA$20.45

$6.69 ฿215

123.17%

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 CA$15.82

$5.74 ฿184

101.22%

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

$745 CA$1,020

$299 ฿9,593

148.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$15.9K

$15.0K ฿481.2K

-22.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 CA$73.3

$54.8 ฿1,758

-2.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.97 CA$53.4

$26.35 ฿845

47.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 CA$120

$84.7 ฿2,714

3.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$149

$69.7 ฿2,236

56.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 CA$1,834

$427 ฿13.7K

213.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 CA$1,638

$241 ฿7,718

396.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 CA$2,773

$811 ฿26.0K

149.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,816 CA$2,488

$498 ฿16.0K

264.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,297 CA$5,887

$2,022 ฿64.8K

112.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,214 CA$4,403

$1,524 ฿48.9K

110.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,300 CA$4,521

$639 ฿20.5K

416.28%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,339 in Hearst versus $427 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 416% 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 $69 in Hearst versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $368 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

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

Hearst costs about 171% 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 $3,549 per month in Hearst and $1,308 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 Hearst 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 50% 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 $872, than in Hearst at $2,366. 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 $872 versus $2,366 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.