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 $2,363 per month in High Level vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,362 per month in High Level vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,361 per month in High Level vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

High Level costs about 173% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

High Level 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

$16.89 CA$23.39

$1.94 ฿63.5

770.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 CA$97.9

$18.64 ฿609

279.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.14

$7.82 ฿255

39.90%

Cappuccino

$3.76 CA$5.21

$1.95 ฿63.8

92.82%

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

$1.99 CA$2.75

$0.85 ฿27.77

134.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.31

$0.35 ฿11.58

377.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.60 CA$7.75

$2.13 ฿69.6

162.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 CA$8.10

$3.73 ฿122

56.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 CA$2.90

$1.71 ฿56.0

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 CA$3.62

$1.63 ฿53.2

60.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.03

$1.14 ฿37.15

219.30%

Eggs

$3.48 CA$4.82

$1.93 ฿63.1

80.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.99 CA$15.22

$16.21 ฿530

-32.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.64 CA$16.12

$3.12 ฿102

273.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.67 CA$20.31

$10.90 ฿356

34.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.47

$2.75 ฿90.0

43.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 CA$1.95

$1.21 ฿39.52

16.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.66 CA$5.07

$1.62 ฿53.0

125.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.31

$1.59 ฿51.8

141.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.47

$1.40 ฿45.70

79.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.46

$1.17 ฿38.17

113.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 CA$3.63

$0.66 ฿21.60

296.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 CA$2.45

$0.53 ฿17.22

233.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.78 CA$19.08

$4.69 ฿153

193.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.82 CA$16.37

$18.66 ฿609

-36.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.87

$1.80 ฿58.8

55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 CA$4.21

$3.23 ฿106

-5.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.32

$0.90 ฿29.26

166.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.9 CA$85.8

$19.21 ฿628

222.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 CA$4.49

$1.41 ฿45.91

129.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.05

$1.29 ฿42.12

14.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.67 CA$35.54

$7.84 ฿256

227.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.60

$1.27 ฿41.58

-9.45%

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

$25.3K CA$35.0K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

18.90%

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

$21.0K CA$29.1K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-5.41%

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

$140 CA$194

$69.1 ฿2,256

103.23%

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

$43.21 CA$59.8

$14.08 ฿460

206.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.1 CA$87.4

$18.00 ฿588

250.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.85 CA$57.9

$41.06 ฿1,341

1.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$11.57 CA$16.02

$5.92 ฿193

95.44%

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

$723 CA$1,002

$299 ฿9,766

141.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.3K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-21.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 CA$76.2

$54.7 ฿1,787

0.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.43 CA$54.6

$26.77 ฿874

47.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 CA$119

$85.0 ฿2,776

1.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$150

$70.6 ฿2,306

53.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 CA$1,837

$428 ฿14.0K

209.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,185 CA$1,640

$237 ฿7,752

399.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,025 CA$2,804

$801 ฿26.2K

152.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,805 CA$2,500

$515 ฿16.8K

250.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,894 CA$6,776

$1,975 ฿64.5K

147.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,084 CA$5,654

$1,475 ฿48.2K

176.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,327 in High Level versus $428 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 $71.0 in High Level versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 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

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

High Level costs about 173% 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 $3,545 per month in High Level and $1,300 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 $723 per month in High Level 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 46% 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 $866, than in High Level at $2,363. 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 $866 versus $2,363 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.