Cost of Living Comparison Between Quebec City and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Quebec City and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,916 per month in Quebec City vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,897 per month in Quebec City vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,878 per month in Quebec City vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Quebec City costs about 102% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Quebec City sits 39% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.22 CA$25.32

$2.08 ฿69.4

775.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.4 CA$90.9

$19.64 ฿654

233.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 CA$15.26

$5.65 ฿188

94.34%

Cappuccino

$3.62 CA$5.03

$1.81 ฿60.1

100.00%

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

$2.15 CA$2.99

$0.71 ฿23.75

202.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$0.32 ฿10.52

368.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.70 CA$7.92

$2.24 ฿74.5

154.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.79 CA$8.05

$3.63 ฿121

59.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 CA$2.84

$1.96 ฿65.2

4.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 CA$4.19

$1.50 ฿50.0

101.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$1.34 ฿44.49

200.00%

Eggs

$3.22 CA$4.47

$2.26 ฿75.4

42.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.86 CA$12.31

$16.26 ฿541

-45.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.89 CA$15.14

$2.95 ฿98.4

269.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.70 CA$14.87

$9.94 ฿331

7.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.17

$2.57 ฿85.7

72.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.06 ฿35.18

40.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.39

$1.61 ฿53.7

140.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.57

$1.52 ฿50.6

163.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.04

$1.27 ฿42.30

129.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.11

$1.07 ฿35.51

176.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 CA$3.96

$0.72 ฿23.98

295.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.11

$0.51 ฿16.94

198.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.25 CA$21.19

$4.19 ฿140

263.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.37 CA$15.81

$17.87 ฿595

-36.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 CA$4.22

$1.69 ฿56.4

79.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 CA$4.75

$2.84 ฿94.5

20.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 CA$3.92

$0.93 ฿30.82

203.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.1 CA$102

$53.9 ฿1,794

35.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 CA$4.00

$1.23 ฿41.11

134.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.08

$0.58 ฿19.20

156.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.87 CA$49.85

$2.42 ฿80.7

1382.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.80

$1.41 ฿47.03

-7.80%

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

$28.9K CA$40.1K

$21.4K ฿714.1K

34.62%

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

$21.4K CA$29.7K

$27.3K ฿910.2K

-21.75%

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

$101 CA$141

$63.7 ฿2,120

59.10%

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

$31.98 CA$44.44

$12.85 ฿428

148.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.54 CA$64.7

$20.22 ฿673

130.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.95 CA$52.7

$38.74 ฿1,290

-2.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.32 CA$21.28

$3.97 ฿132

285.89%

Cinema Ticket

$11.37 CA$15.80

$6.74 ฿224

68.69%

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

$696 CA$968

$778 ฿25.9K

-10.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,397 CA$13.1K

$14.6K ฿486.5K

-35.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 CA$78.0

$54.3 ฿1,808

3.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 CA$73.5

$25.45 ฿847

107.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 CA$127

$94.3 ฿3,141

-3.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$146

$73.4 ฿2,446

43.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,019 CA$1,416

$490 ฿16.3K

108.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 CA$1,085

$289 ฿9,634

169.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,533 CA$2,130

$894 ฿29.8K

71.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 CA$1,768

$517 ฿17.2K

146.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,312 CA$7,382

$1,955 ฿65.1K

171.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,848 CA$3,958

$1,477 ฿49.2K

92.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,183 CA$4,424

$602 ฿20.0K

428.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.45

5.57

-20.11%

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

Last update for Quebec City: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,019 in Quebec City 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 429% higher in Quebec City, 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 $65.0 in Quebec City versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $348 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

Quebec City vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quebec City costs about 102% 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 $2,874 per month in Quebec City 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 $696 per month in Quebec City 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 45% more in Quebec City, 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 Quebec City at $1,916. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Quebec City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,916 in Quebec City. 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, Quebec City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.