Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Prince George and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $2,144 in Prince George, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Prince George, Canada
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Prince George
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,144
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Prince George 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 Prince George and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,144 per month in Prince George vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Prince George $2,144
  • Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $3,217 per month in Prince George vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Prince George $3,217
  • Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $4,289 per month in Prince George vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Prince George $4,289
  • Chiang Mai $1,979

Prince George costs about 129% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Prince George sits 58% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Prince George
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.02 CA$25.20
$2.24 ฿75.5
704.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$72.3 CA$101
$19.00 ฿640
280.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.78 CA$12.28
$5.55 ฿187
58.20%
Cappuccino
$3.83 CA$5.36
$1.67 ฿56.4
129.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 CA$3.11
$0.64 ฿21.51
246.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 CA$3.17
$0.31 ฿10.29
632.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.76 CA$8.05
$2.36 ฿79.5
144.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.23 CA$10.11
$3.66 ฿123
97.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Prince George
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.90 CA$2.65
$1.95 ฿65.7
-2.56%
White Bread (500g)
$2.45 CA$3.43
$1.44 ฿48.41
70.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.77 CA$6.67
$1.33 ฿44.97
258.65%
Eggs
$4.31 CA$6.03
$2.28 ฿77.0
89.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.26 CA$8.75
$16.45 ฿554
-61.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.95 CA$19.51
$2.78 ฿93.8
401.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.25 CA$19.92
$9.31 ฿314
53.06%
Apples (1kg)
$4.17 CA$5.84
$2.35 ฿79.3
77.45%
Banana (1kg)
$2.77 CA$3.87
$0.97 ฿32.75
185.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.30 CA$7.41
$1.60 ฿53.8
231.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.87 CA$5.41
$1.50 ฿50.6
158.00%
Potato (1kg)
$3.03 CA$4.23
$1.28 ฿43.06
136.72%
Onion (1kg)
$2.31 CA$3.23
$1.10 ฿37.14
110.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.04 CA$4.25
$0.71 ฿23.79
328.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.19 CA$3.06
$0.49 ฿16.34
346.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.91 CA$20.85
$4.14 ฿140
260.14%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.76 CA$15.05
$17.52 ฿590
-38.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.65 CA$7.91
$1.61 ฿54.4
250.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.78 ฿93.8
-
🚌 Getting Around
Prince George
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.90 CA$2.65
$0.87 ฿29.27
118.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.07 CA$61.6
$54.1 ฿1,823
-18.52%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.94 CA$4.11
$1.16 ฿39.00
153.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.71 CA$2.38
$0.53 ฿17.78
222.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.80 CA$45.86
$2.42 ฿81.6
1255.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 CA$1.81
$1.45 ฿48.82
-10.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K CA$38.4K
$21.1K ฿709.7K
30.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.1K CA$30.9K
$26.9K ฿907.9K
-17.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Prince George
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$169 CA$237
$62.2 ฿2,095
172.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$42.10 CA$58.9
$12.17 ฿410
245.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.0 CA$85.3
$20.12 ฿678
203.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Prince George
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.66 CA$61.1
$37.31 ฿1,257
17.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.88 CA$25.00
$3.77 ฿127
374.27%
Cinema Ticket
$8.98 CA$12.56
$6.49 ฿219
38.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Prince George
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$410 CA$573
$736 ฿24.8K
-44.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$14.8K ฿497.6K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Prince George
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.8 CA$85.0
$53.4 ฿1,799
13.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.77 CA$54.2
$24.64 ฿830
57.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.5 CA$129
$91.5 ฿3,083
1.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$152 CA$213
$71.9 ฿2,424
111.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Prince George
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,131 CA$1,581
$482 ฿16.3K
134.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$923 CA$1,291
$309 ฿10.4K
198.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,749 CA$2,446
$1,006 ฿33.9K
73.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,553 CA$2,172
$633 ฿21.3K
145.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,363 ฿79.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,589 ฿53.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Prince George
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,068 CA$4,290
$590 ฿19.9K
420.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.96
5.57
-10.95%

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

Last update for Prince George: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Prince George
$923
Chiang Mai
$309 66.5% $614
Groceries & Markets
Prince George
$391 *
Chiang Mai
$234 40.1% $157
Eating Out
Prince George
$278
Chiang Mai
$78 72.1% $200
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Prince George
$272
Chiang Mai
$94 65.3% $178
Clothing & Footwear
Prince George
$155
Chiang Mai
$109 29.9% $46
Getting Around
Prince George
$63
Chiang Mai
$61 2.8% $1.8
Sport & Entertainment
Prince George
$62
Chiang Mai
$50 18.4% $11

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,131 in Prince George versus $482 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 in Prince George are about 5.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $72 in Prince George versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $391 vs $234 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Prince George
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
22:54 10:54 PM
12:54 12:54 PM
14 h ahead of Prince George
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
71,974
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.715 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.638 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.77 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Prince George Chiang Mai 11,000 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Prince George
  • 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
Prince George vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Prince George or Chiang Mai?
Prince George costs about 129% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Prince George and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,216 per month in Prince George and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Prince George or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $1,131 in Prince George.
How do childcare costs compare in Prince George and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $410 per month in Prince George and $736 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Prince George or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 67% more in Prince George, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Prince George or in Chiang Mai?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,144 in Prince George and $936 in Chiang Mai. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Prince George or Chiang Mai?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $2,144 in Prince George. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Should I move to Prince George or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Prince George makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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