Cost of Living Comparison Between High Level and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between High Level and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,298 per month in High Level vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,371 per month in High Level vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,445 per month in High Level vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

High Level costs about 167% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

High Level sits 72% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.25 CA$24.18

$1.96 ฿65.7

780.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 CA$97.9

$18.35 ฿616

280.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.20

$7.48 ฿251

44.92%

Cappuccino

$3.71 CA$5.21

$2.02 ฿67.7

83.66%

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

$2.05 CA$2.87

$0.85 ฿28.45

141.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.29

$0.36 ฿11.94

352.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.55 CA$7.78

$2.14 ฿71.7

159.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 CA$8.18

$3.59 ฿121

62.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CA$3.05

$1.65 ฿55.4

31.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 CA$3.78

$1.57 ฿52.6

71.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.60 CA$5.05

$1.19 ฿39.95

202.52%

Eggs

$3.53 CA$4.94

$1.94 ฿65.0

81.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 CA$15.85

$16.19 ฿544

-30.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.76 CA$16.48

$2.99 ฿100

293.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.59 CA$20.45

$10.94 ฿367

33.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.73

$2.71 ฿91.0

50.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.93

$1.17 ฿39.18

17.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 CA$5.09

$1.69 ฿56.6

114.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.16

$1.60 ฿53.9

130.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.46

$1.38 ฿46.45

78.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CA$3.49

$1.20 ฿40.38

107.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CA$3.56

$0.67 ฿22.46

279.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$0.56 ฿18.70

203.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.01 CA$19.64

$4.64 ฿156

201.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.79 CA$19.33

$17.62 ฿591

-21.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$4.08

$1.86 ฿62.4

56.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.28

$3.30 ฿111

-7.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.39

$0.88 ฿29.63

175.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 CA$88.5

$19.34 ฿649

226.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 CA$4.38

$1.36 ฿45.82

129.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 CA$2.06

$1.34 ฿44.90

9.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.17 CA$36.69

$8.21 ฿276

218.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.64

$1.22 ฿41.11

-4.10%

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

$25.4K CA$35.7K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

19.15%

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

$20.3K CA$28.5K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

-9.69%

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

$143 CA$200

$70.7 ฿2,372

101.91%

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

$43.91 CA$61.6

$14.04 ฿471

212.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.7 CA$89.3

$17.49 ฿587

263.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.43 CA$59.5

$42.15 ฿1,415

0.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$11.54 CA$16.18

$5.92 ฿199

94.93%

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

$731 CA$1,025

$309 ฿10.4K

136.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.8K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-19.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CA$77.1

$55.8 ฿1,872

-1.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.76 CA$55.8

$26.11 ฿877

52.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 CA$123

$83.0 ฿2,787

5.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$148

$70.5 ฿2,365

50.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 CA$1,874

$432 ฿14.5K

209.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 CA$1,677

$239 ฿8,020

400.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,848

$822 ฿27.6K

147.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,790 CA$2,510

$512 ฿17.2K

249.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,689 CA$5,171

$1,915 ฿64.3K

92.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,814 CA$5,347

$1,467 ฿49.3K

159.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

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 High Level: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,337 in High Level 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in High Level versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $366 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

High Level vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

High Level costs about 167% 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 $3,447 per month in High Level 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 $731 per month in High Level 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 51% more in High Level, 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 High Level at $2,298. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in High Level it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $2,298 in High Level. 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, High Level makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.