Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ottawa and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $2,416 in Ottawa, rent and utilities included – about $17,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Ottawa
Learn more

Ottawa Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index

Jump to prices

Ottawa

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,416

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ottawa and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ottawa and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,416 per month in Ottawa vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ottawa $2,416
Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $3,537 per month in Ottawa vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ottawa $3,537
Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $4,658 per month in Ottawa vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ottawa $4,658
Chiang Mai $1,903

Ottawa costs about 161% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Ottawa sits 78% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.62 CA$24.91

$2.29 ฿76.5

669.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.6 CA$111

$19.64 ฿656

300.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 CA$15.00

$5.61 ฿188

89.13%

Cappuccino

$4.04 CA$5.71

$1.66 ฿55.6

143.37%

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

$2.08 CA$2.94

$0.70 ฿23.40

197.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.48

$0.31 ฿10.24

464.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.71 CA$8.08

$2.41 ฿80.4

136.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.47 CA$9.14

$3.71 ฿124

74.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 CA$3.39

$1.95 ฿65.3

23.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.96 CA$4.19

$1.41 ฿47.03

109.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.07

$1.31 ฿43.62

119.85%

Eggs

$3.23 CA$4.57

$2.18 ฿72.9

48.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 CA$16.27

$16.65 ฿556

-30.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.61 CA$16.41

$2.76 ฿92.2

320.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.02 CA$26.90

$9.11 ฿304

108.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.29

$2.39 ฿80.0

56.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.79

$1.03 ฿34.26

23.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.52

$1.63 ฿54.4

139.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 CA$5.10

$1.50 ฿50.0

140.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 CA$3.64

$1.29 ฿43.13

99.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 CA$3.38

$1.11 ฿37.03

115.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CA$3.69

$0.72 ฿24.08

262.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 CA$2.08

$0.53 ฿17.59

177.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.45 CA$20.43

$4.31 ฿144

235.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.47 CA$17.63

$17.95 ฿600

-30.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 CA$3.68

$1.58 ฿52.9

65.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 CA$4.50

$2.84 ฿95.0

11.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 CA$4.14

$0.86 ฿28.86

240.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.6 CA$134

$53.3 ฿1,780

77.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 CA$3.79

$1.21 ฿40.29

121.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 CA$2.16

$0.57 ฿18.99

168.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.08 CA$26.98

$2.35 ฿78.6

711.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CA$1.74

$1.44 ฿47.96

-14.58%

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

$27.6K CA$39.0K

$20.7K ฿692.8K

33.01%

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

$22.3K CA$31.5K

$26.8K ฿895.7K

-16.89%

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

$139 CA$196

$62.3 ฿2,083

122.99%

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

$37.37 CA$52.8

$12.11 ฿405

208.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 CA$72.3

$19.94 ฿666

156.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 CA$68.0

$37.07 ฿1,239

29.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.89 CA$39.43

$3.78 ฿126

637.83%

Cinema Ticket

$12.68 CA$17.93

$6.50 ฿217

95.08%

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

$928 CA$1,311

$793 ฿26.5K

17.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.7K

$14.8K ฿494.9K

8.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$81.0

$53.7 ฿1,796

6.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.28 CA$52.7

$24.62 ฿823

51.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$146

$90.9 ฿3,036

13.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.5 CA$138

$71.1 ฿2,378

37.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,437 CA$2,031

$455 ฿15.2K

215.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 CA$1,717

$298 ฿9,954

307.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 CA$3,266

$908 ฿30.4K

154.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,871 CA$2,645

$554 ฿18.5K

237.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,326 CA$6,115

$1,931 ฿64.5K

124.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,547 CA$6,428

$1,445 ฿48.3K

214.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,730 CA$5,274

$591 ฿19.7K

531.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

5.57

-25.31%

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

Last update for Ottawa: October 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ottawa

$1.2K 50.3%

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2% 75.5% $917

Groceries & Markets

Ottawa

$373 15.4%

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5% 36.8% $137

Eating Out

Ottawa

$278 11.5%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5% 71.7% $200

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ottawa

$227 9.4%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2% 58.5% $133

Clothing & Footwear

Ottawa

$133 5.5%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7% 18.6% $25

Getting Around

Ottawa

$117 4.8%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 47.9% $56

Sport & Entertainment

Ottawa

$73 3%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 31.9% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,437 in Ottawa versus $455 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 531% higher in Ottawa, 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 $79.0 in Ottawa versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 vs $235 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Ottawa

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

18:02 6:02 PM

05:02 5:02 AM

11 h ahead of Ottawa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,000,000 Capital

127,240

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ottawa Chiang Mai 12,860 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Ottawa
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Ottawa costs about 161% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $3,623 per month in Ottawa and $1,388 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 $928 per month in Ottawa and $793 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% more in Ottawa, 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 $925, than in Ottawa at $2,416. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ottawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $2,416 in Ottawa. 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, Ottawa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.