Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John, New Brunswick and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John, New Brunswick and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,091 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $872 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,020 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $1,337 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,949 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Saint John, New Brunswick costs about 140% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Saint John, New Brunswick sits 55% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.77 CA$29.82

$2.01 ฿64.5

983.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.0 CA$83.6

$18.23 ฿584

234.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 CA$14.31

$7.65 ฿245

36.60%

Cappuccino

$3.03 CA$4.15

$1.92 ฿61.5

57.81%

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

$1.70 CA$2.33

$0.84 ฿26.97

102.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 CA$1.67

$0.36 ฿11.42

238.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.39 CA$6.01

$2.19 ฿70.2

100.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 CA$6.97

$3.79 ฿121

34.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 CA$2.69

$1.64 ฿52.5

20.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 CA$3.99

$1.62 ฿52.0

79.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.45

$1.15 ฿36.98

55.65%

Eggs

$3.55 CA$4.87

$1.94 ฿62.2

82.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 CA$15.84

$15.94 ฿511

-27.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.61 CA$11.79

$3.10 ฿99.5

177.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.26 CA$22.28

$11.07 ฿355

46.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.52

$2.71 ฿86.8

48.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 CA$2.06

$1.18 ฿37.80

27.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 CA$4.98

$1.71 ฿54.7

112.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.06

$1.61 ฿51.5

175.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 CA$2.88

$1.39 ฿44.66

51.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 CA$3.01

$1.15 ฿36.81

91.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 CA$3.77

$0.71 ฿22.83

287.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.06

$0.55 ฿17.65

174.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.35 CA$25.14

$4.57 ฿146

301.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 CA$14.08

$18.87 ฿605

-45.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 CA$4.54

$1.82 ฿58.4

81.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 CA$4.62

$3.21 ฿103

4.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 CA$3.07

$0.88 ฿28.24

154.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.5 CA$82.8

$18.89 ฿606

220.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$4.90

$1.41 ฿45.30

153.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 CA$1.53

$1.30 ฿41.71

-13.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.47 CA$40.37

$8.20 ฿263

259.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.61

$1.23 ฿39.29

-4.88%

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

$25.1K CA$34.3K

$21.2K ฿678.9K

18.30%

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

$19.9K CA$27.3K

$22.3K ฿715.3K

-10.68%

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

$127 CA$175

$69.9 ฿2,240

82.41%

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

$38.36 CA$52.6

$14.07 ฿451

172.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 CA$86.9

$17.70 ฿567

258.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.93 CA$58.8

$41.41 ฿1,328

3.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.01 CA$50.7

$6.69 ฿215

453.21%

Cinema Ticket

$11.06 CA$15.16

$5.74 ฿184

92.68%

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

$168 CA$231

$299 ฿9,593

-43.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$15.9K

$15.0K ฿481.2K

-22.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.92 CA$56.1

$54.8 ฿1,758

-25.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.57 CA$58.3

$26.35 ฿845

61.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 CA$116

$84.7 ฿2,714

0.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$168

$69.7 ฿2,236

75.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 CA$1,422

$427 ฿13.7K

143.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$973 CA$1,333

$241 ฿7,718

304.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 CA$2,178

$811 ฿26.0K

96.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,445 CA$1,979

$498 ฿16.0K

189.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,133 CA$2,922

$2,022 ฿64.8K

5.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,202 CA$3,016

$1,524 ฿48.9K

44.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,684 CA$3,677

$639 ฿20.5K

319.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.18

23.60%

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

Last update for Saint John, New Brunswick: April 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,038 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $427 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 320% higher in Saint John, New Brunswick, 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 $61 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 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

Saint John, New Brunswick vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint John, New Brunswick costs about 140% 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 $3,136 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick and $1,308 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 $168 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick 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 41% more in Saint John, New Brunswick, 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 $872, than in Saint John, New Brunswick at $2,091. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint John, New Brunswick it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $872 versus $2,091 in Saint John, New Brunswick. 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, Saint John, New Brunswick makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.