Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Alberni and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Alberni and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,689 per month in Port Alberni vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,883 per month in Port Alberni vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,078 per month in Port Alberni vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Port Alberni costs about 78% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Port Alberni sits 23% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.24 CA$25.23

$2.08 ฿68.5

776.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.1 CA$87.3

$19.64 ฿646

221.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 CA$14.88

$5.65 ฿186

90.27%

Cappuccino

$4.06 CA$5.62

$1.81 ฿59.3

124.31%

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

$2.11 CA$2.91

$0.71 ฿23.44

197.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$0.32 ฿10.38

356.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.68 CA$5.10

$2.24 ฿73.5

64.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.57 CA$7.71

$3.63 ฿119

53.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.03

$1.96 ฿64.4

11.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 CA$3.30

$1.50 ฿49.38

58.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 CA$3.94

$1.34 ฿43.92

112.69%

Eggs

$3.95 CA$5.47

$2.26 ฿74.4

74.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 CA$12.73

$16.26 ฿534

-43.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.13

$2.95 ฿97.1

50.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.20 CA$27.94

$9.94 ฿327

103.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 CA$3.89

$2.57 ฿84.5

9.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 CA$1.46

$1.06 ฿34.72

Oranges (1kg)

$3.52 CA$4.87

$1.61 ฿53.0

118.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 CA$5.02

$1.52 ฿49.96

138.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 CA$2.96

$1.27 ฿41.76

68.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.68

$1.07 ฿35.05

80.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 CA$3.04

$0.72 ฿23.67

205.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 CA$0.95

$0.51 ฿16.72

35.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.62 CA$14.69

$4.19 ฿138

153.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 CA$15.03

$17.87 ฿587

-39.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 CA$3.69

$1.69 ฿55.7

57.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.29

$2.84 ฿93.2

9.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$0.93 ฿30.42

58.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.36 CA$47.54

$53.9 ฿1,770

-36.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 CA$3.88

$1.23 ฿40.58

127.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 CA$2.26

$0.58 ฿18.96

181.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.70 CA$45.24

$2.42 ฿79.7

1251.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.61

$1.41 ฿46.42

-17.73%

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

$28.6K CA$39.5K

$21.4K ฿704.9K

33.19%

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

$19.6K CA$27.2K

$27.3K ฿898.5K

-28.21%

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

$80.2 CA$111

$63.7 ฿2,093

25.98%

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

$35.79 CA$49.52

$12.85 ฿423

178.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CA$71.2

$20.22 ฿665

154.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.07 CA$61.0

$38.74 ฿1,274

13.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 CA$16.43

$6.74 ฿221

76.11%

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

$1,123 CA$1,553

$778 ฿25.6K

44.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K CA$29.3K

$14.6K ฿480.2K

44.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 CA$84.6

$54.3 ฿1,785

12.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.14 CA$48.62

$25.45 ฿836

38.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 CA$122

$94.3 ฿3,101

-6.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.6 CA$135

$73.4 ฿2,414

32.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$810 CA$1,121

$490 ฿16.1K

65.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$729 CA$1,009

$289 ฿9,510

152.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,748 CA$2,418

$894 ฿29.4K

95.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,705 CA$2,359

$517 ฿17.0K

229.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,089 CA$4,274

$602 ฿19.8K

412.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

5.57

-24.06%

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

Last update for Port Alberni: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $810 in Port Alberni 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 413% higher in Port Alberni, 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 $63.0 in Port Alberni versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 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

Port Alberni vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Alberni costs about 78% 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 $2,534 per month in Port Alberni 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 $1,123 per month in Port Alberni 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 27% more in Port Alberni, 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 Port Alberni at $1,689. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Alberni it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,689 in Port Alberni. 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, Port Alberni makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.