Cost of Living Comparison Between Joliette and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Joliette and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,789 per month in Joliette vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,697 per month in Joliette vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,606 per month in Joliette vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Joliette costs about 108% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Joliette sits 34% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.17 CA$25.57

$1.96 ฿65.8

827.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.6 CA$78.3

$18.35 ฿617

203.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 CA$15.79

$7.48 ฿252

50.00%

Cappuccino

$2.60 CA$3.66

$2.02 ฿67.8

28.71%

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

$2.16 CA$3.03

$0.85 ฿28.50

154.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.40

$0.36 ฿11.96

372.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.32 CA$6.08

$2.14 ฿71.8

101.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.59 CA$9.27

$3.59 ฿121

83.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 CA$3.34

$1.65 ฿55.5

43.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.58

$1.57 ฿52.7

62.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 CA$4.47

$1.19 ฿40.02

167.23%

Eggs

$2.54 CA$3.57

$1.94 ฿65.1

30.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 CA$15.75

$16.19 ฿544

-30.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.82 CA$18.04

$2.99 ฿101

328.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.76 CA$22.18

$10.94 ฿368

44.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.39 CA$6.18

$2.71 ฿91.2

61.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.99

$1.17 ฿39.25

21.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 CA$4.72

$1.69 ฿56.7

98.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.24

$1.60 ฿54.0

132.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.52

$1.38 ฿46.54

81.16%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 CA$4.34

$1.20 ฿40.45

156.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.73 CA$2.43

$0.67 ฿22.50

158.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.18

$0.56 ฿18.73

176.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.16 CA$19.92

$4.64 ฿156

205.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.23 CA$15.80

$17.62 ฿593

-36.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 CA$3.43

$1.86 ฿62.5

31.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CA$4.50

$3.30 ฿111

-3.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 CA$3.35

$0.88 ฿29.68

170.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.9 CA$87.2

$19.34 ฿650

220.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 CA$3.86

$1.36 ฿45.90

101.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.10

$1.34 ฿44.98

11.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.07 CA$28.24

$8.21 ฿276

144.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 CA$1.37

$1.22 ฿41.18

-19.67%

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

$24.6K CA$34.7K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

15.38%

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

$21.8K CA$30.7K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

-3.03%

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

$164 CA$230

$70.7 ฿2,376

131.51%

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

$43.19 CA$60.8

$14.04 ฿472

207.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 CA$72.8

$17.49 ฿588

195.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.80 CA$58.8

$42.15 ฿1,417

-0.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$11.11 CA$15.63

$5.92 ฿199

87.67%

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

$895 CA$1,259

$309 ฿10.4K

190.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.7K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

8.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 CA$71.9

$55.8 ฿1,875

-8.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.24 CA$58.0

$26.11 ฿878

57.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 CA$125

$83.0 ฿2,792

7.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 CA$135

$70.5 ฿2,369

36.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$691 CA$973

$432 ฿14.5K

60.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 CA$876

$239 ฿8,035

160.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,322 CA$1,861

$822 ฿27.7K

60.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 CA$1,559

$512 ฿17.2K

116.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,836 CA$5,398

$1,915 ฿64.4K

100.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,523 CA$4,958

$1,467 ฿49.3K

140.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,710 CA$3,813

$579 ฿19.5K

367.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.48

9.60%

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

Last update for Joliette: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $691 in Joliette 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 368% higher in Joliette, 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 $56.0 in Joliette versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $360 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

Joliette vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Joliette costs about 108% 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 $2,683 per month in Joliette 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 $895 per month in Joliette 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 48% more in Joliette, 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 Joliette at $1,789. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Joliette it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,789 in Joliette. 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, Joliette makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.