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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,498 per month in Kamloops vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,660 per month in Kamloops vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,822 per month in Kamloops vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kamloops costs about 190% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Kamloops sits 87% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.94 CA$30.75

$1.96 ฿65.7

1019.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.5 CA$91.9

$18.35 ฿616

257.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 CA$15.32

$7.48 ฿251

46.12%

Cappuccino

$4.19 CA$5.87

$2.02 ฿67.7

107.43%

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

$2.61 CA$3.66

$0.85 ฿28.45

207.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 CA$2.82

$0.36 ฿11.94

458.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 CA$8.23

$2.14 ฿71.7

174.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 CA$8.29

$3.59 ฿121

64.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.77 CA$3.89

$1.65 ฿55.4

67.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 CA$3.50

$1.57 ฿52.6

59.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.54 CA$6.37

$1.19 ฿39.95

281.51%

Eggs

$3.86 CA$5.41

$1.94 ฿65.0

98.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 CA$14.23

$16.19 ฿544

-37.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.25 CA$18.58

$2.99 ฿100

343.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.32 CA$21.48

$10.94 ฿367

40.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.67

$2.71 ฿91.0

49.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 CA$2.37

$1.17 ฿39.18

44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.59

$1.69 ฿56.6

136.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.72

$1.60 ฿53.9

155.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.75

$1.38 ฿46.45

93.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 CA$2.97

$1.20 ฿40.38

76.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 CA$3.98

$0.67 ฿22.46

323.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.61

$0.56 ฿18.70

232.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.40 CA$23.00

$4.64 ฿156

253.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.60 CA$17.66

$17.62 ฿591

-28.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.46 CA$6.26

$1.86 ฿62.4

139.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 CA$5.51

$3.30 ฿111

19.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.44 CA$2.02

$0.88 ฿29.63

63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.21 CA$52.2

$19.34 ฿649

92.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 CA$5.46

$1.36 ฿45.82

186.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 CA$2.34

$1.34 ฿44.90

24.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.95 CA$18.15

$8.21 ฿276

57.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.75

$1.22 ฿41.11

2.46%

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

$24.8K CA$34.7K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

16.07%

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

$20.2K CA$28.4K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

-10.21%

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

$171 CA$239

$70.7 ฿2,372

141.70%

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

$49.84 CA$69.9

$14.04 ฿471

254.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.7 CA$100

$17.49 ฿587

309.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 CA$77.7

$42.15 ฿1,415

31.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.93 CA$40.56

$6.88 ฿231

320.49%

Cinema Ticket

$12.00 CA$16.82

$5.92 ฿199

102.70%

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

$783 CA$1,097

$309 ฿10.4K

153.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,102 CA$5,750

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-72.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.4 CA$95.9

$55.8 ฿1,872

22.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.5 CA$84.7

$26.11 ฿877

131.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 CA$116

$83.0 ฿2,787

-0.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$163

$70.5 ฿2,365

64.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 CA$2,097

$432 ฿14.5K

246.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,263 CA$1,771

$239 ฿8,020

428.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,295 CA$3,217

$822 ฿27.6K

179.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,917 CA$2,688

$512 ฿17.2K

274.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,069 CA$7,106

$1,915 ฿64.3K

164.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,824 CA$5,361

$1,467 ฿49.3K

160.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,869 CA$4,022

$579 ฿19.4K

395.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

33.80%

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

Last update for Kamloops: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,496 in Kamloops 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 395% higher in Kamloops, 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 Kamloops versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $397 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

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

Kamloops costs about 190% 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 $3,747 per month in Kamloops 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 $783 per month in Kamloops 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 63% more in Kamloops, 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 Kamloops at $2,498. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kamloops it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $2,498 in Kamloops. 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, Kamloops makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.