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 $2,374 per month in Kamloops vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,591 per month in Kamloops vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,807 per month in Kamloops vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kamloops costs about 151% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Kamloops sits 73% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.63 CA$30.06

$2.08 ฿69.4

939.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.6 CA$106

$19.64 ฿654

290.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 CA$14.79

$5.65 ฿188

88.50%

Cappuccino

$3.81 CA$5.30

$1.81 ฿60.1

110.50%

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

$2.50 CA$3.47

$0.71 ฿23.75

252.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.42

$0.32 ฿10.52

443.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.03 CA$8.37

$2.24 ฿74.5

169.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.35 CA$8.82

$3.63 ฿121

74.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 CA$3.25

$1.96 ฿65.2

19.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 CA$3.33

$1.50 ฿50.0

60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.49

$1.34 ฿44.49

194.78%

Eggs

$4.25 CA$5.90

$2.26 ฿75.4

88.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.88 CA$12.35

$16.26 ฿541

-45.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.22 CA$16.98

$2.95 ฿98.4

314.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.73 CA$24.64

$9.94 ฿331

78.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.34 CA$6.03

$2.57 ฿85.7

68.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 CA$2.47

$1.06 ฿35.18

67.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.19 CA$5.82

$1.61 ฿53.7

160.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 CA$5.85

$1.52 ฿50.6

176.97%

Potato (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.23

$1.27 ฿42.30

140.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 CA$3.27

$1.07 ฿35.51

120.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.67

$0.72 ฿23.98

266.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.59

$0.51 ฿16.94

264.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.31 CA$22.66

$4.19 ฿140

289.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.22 CA$18.37

$17.87 ฿595

-26.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.93 CA$6.84

$1.69 ฿56.4

191.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 CA$5.50

$2.84 ฿94.5

39.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 CA$2.23

$0.93 ฿30.82

73.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.19 CA$51.7

$53.9 ฿1,794

-30.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 CA$4.11

$1.23 ฿41.11

140.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$0.58 ฿19.20

196.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.88 CA$17.89

$2.42 ฿80.7

432.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.75

$1.41 ฿47.03

-10.64%

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

$28.6K CA$39.8K

$21.4K ฿714.1K

33.59%

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

$19.8K CA$27.5K

$27.3K ฿910.2K

-27.51%

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

$204 CA$283

$63.7 ฿2,120

219.77%

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

$49.49 CA$68.8

$12.85 ฿428

285.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 CA$93.9

$20.22 ฿673

234.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.64 CA$59.3

$38.74 ฿1,290

10.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.08 CA$39.01

$3.97 ฿132

607.30%

Cinema Ticket

$12.03 CA$16.72

$6.74 ฿224

78.49%

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

$780 CA$1,084

$778 ฿25.9K

0.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,898 CA$5,417

$14.6K ฿486.5K

-73.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.2

$54.3 ฿1,808

15.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 CA$80.7

$25.45 ฿847

128.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 CA$113

$94.3 ฿3,141

-13.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$146

$73.4 ฿2,446

43.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 CA$1,884

$490 ฿16.3K

176.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,123 CA$1,561

$289 ฿9,634

288.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,191 CA$3,045

$894 ฿29.8K

145.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 CA$2,569

$517 ฿17.2K

257.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,251 CA$7,297

$1,955 ฿65.1K

168.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,790 CA$5,267

$1,477 ฿49.2K

156.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,934 CA$4,077

$602 ฿20.0K

387.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

5.57

-17.41%

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

Last update for Kamloops: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,356 in Kamloops 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 387% 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 $77.0 in Kamloops versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $397 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

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

Kamloops costs about 151% 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 $3,561 per month in Kamloops 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 $780 per month in Kamloops 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 65% 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 $947, than in Kamloops at $2,374. 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 $947 versus $2,374 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.