Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Iqaluit, NU and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $2,950 in Iqaluit, NU, rent and utilities included – about $24,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

143

Cost of Living Index in Iqaluit, NU
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Iqaluit, NU Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Iqaluit, NU

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,950

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Iqaluit, NU and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Iqaluit, NU and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,950 per month in Iqaluit, NU vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Iqaluit, NU $2,950
Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $4,618 per month in Iqaluit, NU vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Iqaluit, NU $4,618
Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $6,286 per month in Iqaluit, NU vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Iqaluit, NU $6,286
Chiang Mai $1,903

Iqaluit, NU costs about 219% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Iqaluit, NU sits 118% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.52 CA$38.91

$2.29 ฿76.5

1101.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 CA$91.6

$19.64 ฿656

230.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.90 CA$18.24

$5.61 ฿188

129.95%

Cappuccino

$7.04 CA$9.95

$1.66 ฿55.6

324.10%

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

$3.63 CA$5.14

$0.70 ฿23.40

418.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.31

$0.31 ฿10.24

425.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.57 CA$9.29

$2.41 ฿80.4

172.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 CA$8.23

$3.71 ฿124

56.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.42 CA$3.41

$1.95 ฿65.3

24.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 CA$3.56

$1.41 ฿47.03

78.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 CA$4.78

$1.31 ฿43.62

158.02%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.88

$2.18 ฿72.9

58.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 CA$14.01

$16.65 ฿556

-40.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.57 CA$19.19

$2.76 ฿92.2

391.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.93 CA$21.10

$9.11 ฿304

63.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.19

$2.39 ฿80.0

53.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.80

$1.03 ฿34.26

23.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.20

$1.63 ฿54.4

125.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.47

$1.50 ฿50.0

158.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 CA$3.43

$1.29 ฿43.13

87.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 CA$3.06

$1.11 ฿37.03

95.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CA$3.48

$0.72 ฿24.08

241.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 CA$2.26

$0.53 ฿17.59

201.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.78 CA$19.48

$4.31 ฿144

219.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 CA$17.79

$17.95 ฿600

-29.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 CA$3.63

$1.58 ฿52.9

62.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 CA$4.45

$2.84 ฿95.0

10.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 CA$3.29

$0.86 ฿28.86

170.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.3 CA$86.7

$53.3 ฿1,780

15.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 CA$9.09

$1.21 ฿40.29

431.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 CA$2.08

$0.57 ฿18.99

157.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.63 CA$36.23

$2.35 ฿78.6

990.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.71

$1.44 ฿47.96

-15.97%

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

$37.2K CA$52.6K

$20.7K ฿692.8K

79.64%

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

$31.3K CA$44.3K

$26.8K ฿895.7K

16.94%

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

$117 CA$166

$62.3 ฿2,083

87.94%

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

$38.21 CA$54.0

$12.11 ฿405

215.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 CA$76.8

$19.94 ฿666

172.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.12 CA$58.1

$37.07 ฿1,239

10.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.00 CA$25.45

$3.78 ฿126

376.19%

Cinema Ticket

$7.98 CA$11.28

$6.50 ฿217

22.77%

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

$698 CA$986

$793 ฿26.5K

-11.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K CA$18.7K

$14.8K ฿494.9K

-10.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.9 CA$74.8

$53.7 ฿1,796

-1.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.72 CA$54.7

$24.62 ฿823

57.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 CA$120

$90.9 ฿3,036

-6.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 CA$146

$71.1 ฿2,378

45.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CA$2,593

$455 ฿15.2K

302.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,701 CA$2,404

$298 ฿9,954

471.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,902 CA$4,103

$908 ฿30.4K

219.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,459 CA$4,890

$554 ฿18.5K

524.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,284 CA$6,056

$1,931 ฿64.5K

121.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,562 CA$5,035

$1,445 ฿48.3K

146.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,205 CA$5,944

$591 ฿19.7K

611.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

5.57

-4.49%

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

Last update for Iqaluit, NU: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Iqaluit, NU

$1.7K 57.6%

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2% 82.5% $1.4K

Eating Out

Iqaluit, NU

$409 13.9%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5% 80.8% $330

Groceries & Markets

Iqaluit, NU

$364 12.3%

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5% 35.3% $129

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Iqaluit, NU

$210 7.1%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2% 55% $115

Clothing & Footwear

Iqaluit, NU

$126 4.3%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7% 14% $18

Getting Around

Iqaluit, NU

$84 2.9%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 28% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Iqaluit, NU

$57 1.9%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 12.3% $7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,834 in Iqaluit, NU versus $455 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 612% higher in Iqaluit, NU, 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 $65.0 in Iqaluit, NU versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $364 vs $235 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Iqaluit, NU

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

08:36 8:36 AM

19:36 7:36 PM

11 h ahead of Iqaluit, NU

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,000

127,240

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Iqaluit, NU Chiang Mai 10,770 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Iqaluit, NU
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Iqaluit, NU vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iqaluit, NU costs about 219% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $4,426 per month in Iqaluit, NU and $1,388 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 $698 per month in Iqaluit, NU and $793 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 55% more in Iqaluit, NU, 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 $925, than in Iqaluit, NU at $2,950. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iqaluit, NU it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $2,950 in Iqaluit, NU. 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, Iqaluit, NU makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.