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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,044 per month in Milton vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,159 per month in Milton vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,275 per month in Milton vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Milton costs about 251% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Milton sits 127% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.65 CA$20.29

$1.94 ฿63.5

655.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 CA$100

$18.64 ฿609

288.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.96 CA$17.95

$7.82 ฿255

65.73%

Cappuccino

$3.86 CA$5.34

$1.95 ฿63.8

97.95%

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

$3.23 CA$4.48

$0.85 ฿27.77

280.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 CA$3.46

$0.35 ฿11.58

614.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.00 CA$11.08

$2.13 ฿69.6

275.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 CA$7.48

$3.73 ฿122

44.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 CA$3.47

$1.71 ฿56.0

46.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 CA$3.61

$1.63 ฿53.2

60.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.55 CA$6.30

$1.14 ฿37.15

299.12%

Eggs

$3.47 CA$4.81

$1.93 ฿63.1

79.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.61 CA$9.15

$16.21 ฿530

-59.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.96 CA$41.49

$3.12 ฿102

860.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.04 CA$26.37

$10.90 ฿356

74.68%

Apples (1kg)

$5.60 CA$7.76

$2.75 ฿90.0

103.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 CA$2.18

$1.21 ฿39.52

29.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.03

$1.62 ฿53.0

79.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.56

$1.59 ฿51.8

106.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 CA$1.44

$1.40 ฿45.70

-25.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.17 ฿38.17

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$0.66 ฿21.60

150.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 CA$3.15

$0.53 ฿17.22

328.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.57 CA$17.40

$4.69 ฿153

168.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 CA$18.77

$18.66 ฿609

-27.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.12

$1.80 ฿58.8

25.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$3.23 ฿106

-16.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 CA$4.06

$0.90 ฿29.26

225.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.77 CA$63.4

$19.21 ฿628

138.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 CA$4.34

$1.41 ฿45.91

121.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.01

$1.29 ฿42.12

12.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.15 CA$51.4

$7.84 ฿256

373.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.51

$1.27 ฿41.58

-14.17%

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

$24.8K CA$34.4K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

16.66%

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

$24.2K CA$33.5K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

9.05%

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

$247 CA$341

$69.1 ฿2,256

257.04%

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

$60.4 CA$83.6

$14.08 ฿460

329.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 CA$93.8

$18.00 ฿588

276.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.36 CA$46.19

$41.06 ฿1,341

-18.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$16.87 CA$23.35

$5.92 ฿193

184.97%

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

$556 CA$770

$299 ฿9,766

85.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.3K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-21.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 CA$79.6

$54.7 ฿1,787

5.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 CA$74.3

$26.77 ฿874

100.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$132

$85.0 ฿2,776

11.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 CA$179

$70.6 ฿2,306

83.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 CA$2,469

$428 ฿14.0K

316.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,672 CA$2,315

$237 ฿7,752

604.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 CA$3,583

$801 ฿26.2K

222.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,288 CA$3,168

$515 ฿16.8K

343.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,840 CA$6,701

$1,975 ฿64.5K

145.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,220 CA$5,843

$1,475 ฿48.2K

186.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,162 CA$4,378

$617 ฿20.2K

412.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

36.00%

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

Last update for Milton: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,783 in Milton versus $428 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 412% higher in Milton, 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 $72.0 in Milton versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $459 vs $246 – 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

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

Milton costs about 251% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,566 per month in Milton and $1,300 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 $556 per month in Milton and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 86% more in Milton, 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 $866, than in Milton at $3,044. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Milton it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $3,044 in Milton. 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, Milton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.