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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,793 per month in Markham vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,910 per month in Markham vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,027 per month in Markham vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Markham costs about 221% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Markham sits 108% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.62 CA$20.42

$1.98 ฿64.3

638.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.7 CA$114

$18.80 ฿612

334.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.83 CA$12.32

$7.75 ฿252

13.94%

Cappuccino

$3.16 CA$4.42

$1.92 ฿62.5

64.58%

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

$2.11 CA$2.95

$0.79 ฿25.79

167.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 CA$1.91

$0.36 ฿11.62

280.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.79 CA$5.29

$2.21 ฿72.1

71.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.76 CA$9.43

$3.66 ฿119

84.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 CA$2.44

$1.65 ฿53.8

6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 CA$3.17

$1.63 ฿53.2

39.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 CA$2.26

$1.19 ฿38.86

36.13%

Eggs

$3.44 CA$4.80

$2.00 ฿65.1

72.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.57 CA$21.75

$15.98 ฿520

-2.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 CA$13.82

$3.03 ฿98.5

226.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.46 CA$10.42

$10.86 ฿354

-31.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.39 CA$6.14

$2.76 ฿90.0

59.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.02

$1.18 ฿38.42

22.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.45

$1.64 ฿53.5

50.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.75

$1.52 ฿49.51

123.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 CA$3.34

$1.38 ฿45.10

73.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 CA$2.90

$1.19 ฿38.84

74.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.09 CA$4.31

$0.70 ฿22.86

341.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.29

$0.56 ฿18.13

192.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.95 CA$19.47

$4.58 ฿149

204.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.94 CA$20.86

$16.56 ฿539

-9.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 CA$3.05

$1.83 ฿59.5

19.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CA$3.26

$3.20 ฿104

-27.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.17 CA$4.42

$0.88 ฿28.56

260.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.9 CA$131

$18.72 ฿610

401.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 CA$4.31

$1.36 ฿44.16

127.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.85 CA$3.99

$1.34 ฿43.65

112.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.91 CA$30.60

$7.84 ฿256

179.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.52

$1.23 ฿39.92

-11.38%

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

$25.1K CA$35.1K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

16.13%

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

$19.7K CA$27.5K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-12.72%

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

$202 CA$282

$70.5 ฿2,298

186.72%

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

$33.58 CA$46.89

$13.68 ฿445

145.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 CA$83.4

$17.45 ฿568

242.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.85 CA$62.6

$41.33 ฿1,346

8.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.41 CA$20.13

$6.96 ฿227

107.04%

Cinema Ticket

$10.74 CA$15.00

$5.77 ฿188

86.14%

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

$916 CA$1,280

$307 ฿10.0K

198.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.0K CA$40.5K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

98.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.91 CA$62.7

$55.8 ฿1,817

-19.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.61 CA$51.1

$26.21 ฿854

39.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 CA$84.5

$85.8 ฿2,793

-29.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 CA$114

$72.2 ฿2,353

13.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,697 CA$2,369

$430 ฿14.0K

294.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 CA$2,228

$239 ฿7,774

568.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,984 CA$4,167

$817 ฿26.6K

265.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,529 CA$3,531

$511 ฿16.6K

395.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,886 CA$8,220

$1,983 ฿64.6K

196.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,575 CA$7,785

$1,484 ฿48.3K

275.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,150 CA$4,399

$619 ฿20.2K

409.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

31.80%

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

Last update for Markham: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,697 in Markham versus $430 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 409% higher in Markham, 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 $82.0 in Markham versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $241 – 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

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

Markham costs about 221% 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 $4,189 per month in Markham and $1,303 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 $916 per month in Markham and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% more in Markham, 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 $869, than in Markham at $2,793. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Markham it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $2,793 in Markham. 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, Markham makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.