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 $3,041 per month in Iqaluit, NU vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,109 per month in Iqaluit, NU vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,176 per month in Iqaluit, NU vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Iqaluit, NU costs about 253% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Iqaluit, NU sits 128% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.86 CA$44.83

$1.96 ฿65.8

1525.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 CA$94.9

$18.35 ฿617

267.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 CA$18.56

$7.48 ฿252

76.34%

Cappuccino

$6.80 CA$9.56

$2.02 ฿67.8

236.63%

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

$3.93 CA$5.53

$0.85 ฿28.50

362.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.36

$0.36 ฿11.96

366.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.69 CA$9.42

$2.14 ฿71.8

212.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 CA$8.08

$3.59 ฿121

59.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 CA$3.44

$1.65 ฿55.5

47.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.80

$1.57 ฿52.7

71.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.89 CA$4.07

$1.19 ฿40.02

142.86%

Eggs

$4.48 CA$6.30

$1.94 ฿65.1

130.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.15 CA$17.09

$16.19 ฿544

-24.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.61 CA$19.15

$2.99 ฿101

355.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.53 CA$35.93

$10.94 ฿368

133.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 CA$2.76

$2.71 ฿91.2

-27.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.16

$1.17 ฿39.25

152.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.79

$1.69 ฿56.7

17.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 CA$2.84

$1.60 ฿54.0

26.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.14

$1.38 ฿46.54

113.04%

Onion (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.69

$1.20 ฿40.45

236.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.03 CA$4.26

$0.67 ฿22.50

352.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.60 CA$5.07

$0.56 ฿18.73

542.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.96 CA$19.64

$4.64 ฿156

200.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.07 CA$16.98

$17.62 ฿593

-31.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.12

$1.86 ฿62.5

-18.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.13

$3.30 ฿111

-32.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 CA$3.24

$0.88 ฿29.68

161.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$145 CA$204

$19.34 ฿650

650.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.47 CA$9.11

$1.36 ฿45.90

375.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 CA$1.02

$1.34 ฿44.98

-46.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 CA$36.92

$8.21 ฿276

219.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.85

$1.22 ฿41.18

7.38%

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

$49.4K CA$69.5K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

131.29%

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

$45.7K CA$64.3K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

102.88%

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

$118 CA$167

$70.7 ฿2,376

67.54%

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

$56.1 CA$79.0

$14.04 ฿472

299.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 CA$78.5

$17.49 ฿588

218.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.48 CA$58.4

$42.15 ฿1,417

-1.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.06 CA$31.03

$6.88 ฿231

220.64%

Cinema Ticket

$8.50 CA$11.96

$5.92 ฿199

43.58%

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

$989 CA$1,392

$309 ฿10.4K

220.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,940 CA$5,545

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-73.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$88.0

$55.8 ฿1,875

12.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.72 CA$51.7

$26.11 ฿878

40.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$142

$83.0 ฿2,792

21.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$172

$70.5 ฿2,369

73.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 CA$2,404

$432 ฿14.5K

295.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 CA$2,272

$239 ฿8,035

575.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,034 CA$4,269

$822 ฿27.7K

269.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,786 CA$2,514

$512 ฿17.2K

248.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,270 CA$6,008

$1,915 ฿64.4K

123.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,563 CA$5,014

$1,467 ฿49.3K

142.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,212 CA$5,927

$579 ฿19.5K

627.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.1

62.00%

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

Last update for Iqaluit, NU: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,709 in Iqaluit, NU 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.

Salaries run about 627% 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 $67.0 in Iqaluit, NU versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $416 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

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

Iqaluit, NU costs about 253% 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 $4,561 per month in Iqaluit, NU 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 $989 per month in Iqaluit, NU 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 71% 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 $861, than in Iqaluit, NU at $3,041. 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 $861 versus $3,041 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.