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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,056 per month in Montreal vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,112 per month in Montreal vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,167 per month in Montreal vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Montreal costs about 117% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Montreal sits 50% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.72

$2.08 ฿69.2

758.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$100

$19.64 ฿651

268.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.12

$5.65 ฿188

93.27%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.49

$1.81 ฿59.9

119.34%

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

$2.07 CA$2.87

$0.71 ฿23.66

191.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.14

$0.32 ฿10.48

384.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 CA$8.88

$2.24 ฿74.2

186.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 CA$10.10

$3.63 ฿121

100.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CA$3.30

$1.96 ฿65.0

21.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.44

$1.50 ฿49.83

114.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.25

$1.34 ฿44.32

129.10%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.09

$2.26 ฿75.1

62.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 CA$18.79

$16.26 ฿539

-16.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 CA$16.10

$2.95 ฿98.0

294.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.34

$9.94 ฿330

40.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.10

$2.57 ฿85.3

43.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.16

$1.06 ฿35.04

47.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.72

$1.61 ฿53.5

111.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.19

$1.52 ฿50.4

99.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.75

$1.27 ฿42.14

55.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.53

$1.07 ฿35.37

70.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.54

$0.72 ฿23.89

255.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.92

$0.51 ฿16.87

172.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 CA$15.91

$4.19 ฿139

174.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 CA$15.12

$17.87 ฿593

-38.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$1.69 ฿56.2

33.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.16

$2.84 ฿94.1

5.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.72

$0.93 ฿30.70

189.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 CA$104

$53.9 ฿1,787

39.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 CA$4.63

$1.23 ฿40.95

172.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$0.58 ฿19.13

158.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.70 CA$46.66

$2.42 ฿80.4

1292.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.79

$1.41 ฿46.84

-8.51%

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

$28.3K CA$39.2K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

31.89%

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

$20.0K CA$27.6K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

-26.99%

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

$80.4 CA$111

$63.7 ฿2,112

26.20%

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

$34.23 CA$47.40

$12.85 ฿426

166.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 CA$57.3

$20.22 ฿671

104.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.24 CA$40.49

$38.74 ฿1,285

-24.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.54

$3.97 ฿132

401.01%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 CA$16.21

$6.74 ฿223

73.74%

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

$564 CA$781

$778 ฿25.8K

-27.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.3K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

15.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 CA$82.4

$54.3 ฿1,801

9.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.3

$25.45 ฿844

65.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$94.3 ฿3,129

13.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$153

$73.4 ฿2,436

50.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,778

$490 ฿16.2K

162.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,371

$289 ฿9,596

242.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 CA$3,129

$894 ฿29.6K

152.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 CA$2,308

$517 ฿17.1K

222.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 CA$7,321

$1,955 ฿64.9K

170.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,813 CA$5,279

$1,477 ฿49.0K

158.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,019 CA$4,180

$602 ฿20.0K

401.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.41

5.57

-20.83%

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

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,284 in Montreal 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 401% higher in Montreal, 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 Montreal versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 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

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

Montreal costs about 117% 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 $3,084 per month in Montreal 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 $564 per month in Montreal 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 48% more in Montreal, 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 Montreal at $2,056. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $2,056 in Montreal. 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, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.