Cost of Living Comparison Between Iqaluit, NU and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Iqaluit, NU and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,981 per month in Iqaluit, NU vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,655 per month in Iqaluit, NU vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,330 per month in Iqaluit, NU vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Iqaluit, NU costs about 215% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Iqaluit, NU sits 117% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.40 CA$39.16

$2.08 ฿68.6

1265.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.1 CA$91.2

$19.64 ฿646

236.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.89 CA$17.78

$5.65 ฿186

128.14%

Cappuccino

$7.01 CA$9.66

$1.81 ฿59.4

287.29%

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

$3.71 CA$5.12

$0.71 ฿23.45

422.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.30

$0.32 ฿10.38

421.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.73 CA$9.29

$2.24 ฿73.6

200.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 CA$7.82

$3.63 ฿119

56.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.49 CA$3.43

$1.96 ฿64.4

27.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 CA$3.56

$1.50 ฿49.39

72.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.39 CA$4.67

$1.34 ฿43.93

152.99%

Eggs

$3.59 CA$4.96

$2.26 ฿74.5

58.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 CA$13.96

$16.26 ฿535

-37.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.65

$2.95 ฿97.1

358.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.67 CA$20.23

$9.94 ฿327

47.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.45

$2.57 ฿84.6

53.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.86

$1.06 ฿34.73

27.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.28

$1.61 ฿53.0

137.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.37

$1.52 ฿49.97

155.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.53

$1.27 ฿41.77

101.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 CA$3.15

$1.07 ฿35.06

113.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CA$3.43

$0.72 ฿23.68

245.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.24

$0.51 ฿16.72

219.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.27 CA$19.68

$4.19 ฿138

240.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.71 CA$17.53

$17.87 ฿587

-28.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 CA$3.84

$1.69 ฿55.7

65.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CA$4.42

$2.84 ฿93.3

12.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 CA$3.18

$0.93 ฿30.43

148.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.4 CA$88.8

$53.9 ฿1,771

19.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 CA$9.14

$1.23 ฿40.59

438.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CA$1.95

$0.58 ฿18.96

144.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.39 CA$33.63

$2.42 ฿79.7

907.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.55

$1.41 ฿46.43

-19.86%

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

$38.8K CA$53.5K

$21.4K ฿705.1K

80.88%

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

$32.0K CA$44.1K

$27.3K ฿898.7K

17.12%

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

$117 CA$161

$63.7 ฿2,093

83.67%

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

$39.60 CA$54.6

$12.85 ฿423

208.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 CA$79.4

$20.22 ฿665

184.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.22 CA$58.2

$38.74 ฿1,274

8.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 CA$25.27

$3.97 ฿130

361.46%

Cinema Ticket

$8.42 CA$11.61

$6.74 ฿222

24.93%

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

$776 CA$1,070

$778 ฿25.6K

-0.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K CA$18.8K

$14.6K ฿480.4K

-6.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 CA$73.7

$54.3 ฿1,785

-1.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.32 CA$52.9

$25.45 ฿837

50.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 CA$120

$94.3 ฿3,102

-7.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 CA$142

$73.4 ฿2,415

39.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,827 CA$2,519

$490 ฿16.1K

273.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 CA$2,355

$289 ฿9,512

490.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,929 CA$4,038

$894 ฿29.4K

227.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,445 CA$4,751

$517 ฿17.0K

566.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,330 CA$5,971

$1,955 ฿64.3K

121.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,729 CA$5,142

$1,477 ฿48.6K

152.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,205 CA$5,799

$602 ฿19.8K

598.43%

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,827 in Iqaluit, NU versus $490 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 598% 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 $66.0 in Iqaluit, NU versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 vs $240 – 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

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

Iqaluit, NU costs about 215% 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 $4,471 per month in Iqaluit, NU and $1,421 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 $776 per month in Iqaluit, NU and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% 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 $947, than in Iqaluit, NU at $2,981. 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 $947 versus $2,981 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.