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 $2,063 per month in Montreal vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,159 per month in Montreal vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,255 per month in Montreal vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Montreal costs about 138% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Montreal sits 54% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.14

$1.94 ฿63.5

720.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$102

$18.64 ฿609

291.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.50

$7.82 ฿255

42.58%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.29

$1.95 ฿63.8

94.87%

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

$2.18 CA$3.03

$0.85 ฿27.77

156.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$0.35 ฿11.58

317.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.51

$2.13 ฿69.6

187.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.42

$3.73 ฿122

81.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$1.71 ฿56.0

36.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.72

$1.63 ฿53.2

107.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.19

$1.14 ฿37.15

227.19%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.70

$1.93 ฿63.1

75.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.60

$16.21 ฿530

0.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.05

$3.12 ฿102

269.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.19

$10.90 ฿356

39.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$2.75 ฿90.0

36.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.21 ฿39.52

40.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.71

$1.62 ฿53.0

153.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.05

$1.59 ฿51.8

173.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$1.40 ฿45.70

93.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$1.17 ฿38.17

123.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.13

$0.66 ฿21.60

240.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.40

$0.53 ฿17.22

226.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.51

$4.69 ฿153

183.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$15.00

$18.66 ฿609

-42.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.19

$1.80 ฿58.8

67.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.82

$3.23 ฿106

7.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$0.90 ฿29.26

204.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$19.21 ฿628

278.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.05

$1.41 ฿45.91

157.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.29 ฿42.12

13.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.50

$7.84 ฿256

326.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.69

$1.27 ฿41.58

-4.72%

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

$24.6K CA$34.3K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

15.84%

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

$21.7K CA$30.2K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-2.37%

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

$76.0 CA$106

$69.1 ฿2,256

10.06%

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

$35.72 CA$49.68

$14.08 ฿460

153.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.6

$18.00 ฿588

138.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.7

$41.06 ฿1,341

4.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.97

$6.96 ฿227

147.56%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.42

$5.92 ฿193

87.33%

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

$620 CA$862

$299 ฿9,766

107.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,114

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-60.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

$54.7 ฿1,787

14.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.8

$26.77 ฿874

65.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$140

$85.0 ฿2,776

18.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$166

$70.6 ฿2,306

68.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,684

$428 ฿14.0K

182.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,334

$237 ฿7,752

304.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,831

$801 ฿26.2K

153.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,210

$515 ฿16.8K

208.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,205

$1,975 ฿64.5K

162.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,470

$1,475 ฿48.2K

166.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,116

$617 ฿20.2K

379.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

0.20%

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

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,211 in Montreal 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 379% 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 $73.0 in Montreal versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 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

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

Montreal costs about 138% 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 $3,094 per month in Montreal 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 $620 per month in Montreal 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 59% 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 $866, than in Montreal at $2,063. 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 $866 versus $2,063 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.