Cost of Living Comparison Between St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,136 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,210 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,285 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador costs about 125% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador sits 55% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.36 CA$25.47

$2.10 ฿69.4

774.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$100

$19.84 ฿656

264.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.09 CA$16.76

$5.79 ฿192

108.81%

Cappuccino

$4.13 CA$5.73

$1.83 ฿60.5

125.68%

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

$2.54 CA$3.53

$0.78 ฿25.63

225.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.08

$0.31 ฿10.38

616.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.15 CA$7.14

$2.34 ฿77.3

120.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.42 CA$7.51

$3.70 ฿122

46.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$2.03 ฿67.1

40.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 CA$4.33

$1.60 ฿52.8

95.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.49 CA$6.23

$1.42 ฿46.80

216.20%

Eggs

$3.62 CA$5.02

$2.18 ฿72.0

66.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.47 CA$15.91

$15.91 ฿526

-27.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.64 CA$18.92

$3.07 ฿102

344.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.15 CA$16.86

$9.87 ฿326

23.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.70 CA$6.52

$2.63 ฿86.9

78.71%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 CA$4.33

$1.10 ฿36.23

183.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.92 CA$6.82

$1.63 ฿53.9

201.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 CA$4.12

$1.53 ฿50.6

94.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 CA$3.84

$1.24 ฿41.16

123.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 CA$3.21

$1.13 ฿37.40

104.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.31 CA$5.98

$0.74 ฿24.41

482.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$0.50 ฿16.50

306.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.30 CA$19.83

$4.28 ฿142

234.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.35 CA$22.67

$17.97 ฿594

-9.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 CA$5.82

$1.70 ฿56.2

147.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 CA$6.12

$2.90 ฿95.8

52.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 CA$2.49

$0.94 ฿31.15

90.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.2 CA$79.3

$55.3 ฿1,828

3.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 CA$4.44

$1.23 ฿40.80

160.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 CA$2.54

$0.53 ฿17.67

245.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.29 CA$40.62

$2.40 ฿79.4

1120.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.79

$1.44 ฿47.60

-10.42%

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

$28.2K CA$39.1K

$21.2K ฿700.9K

32.95%

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

$22.3K CA$31.0K

$27.3K ฿903.0K

-18.16%

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

$185 CA$257

$64.9 ฿2,147

185.40%

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

$42.87 CA$59.5

$13.35 ฿442

221.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 CA$106

$20.83 ฿689

265.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.7 CA$93.9

$40.42 ฿1,337

67.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.54 CA$27.10

$3.95 ฿131

394.68%

Cinema Ticket

$10.71 CA$14.86

$6.71 ฿222

59.61%

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

$535 CA$741

$787 ฿26.0K

-32.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,997 CA$13.9K

$15.1K ฿500.1K

-33.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 CA$93.6

$56.2 ฿1,859

20.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 CA$71.1

$24.95 ฿825

105.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 CA$113

$92.7 ฿3,066

-12.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 CA$132

$75.1 ฿2,484

26.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 CA$1,390

$484 ฿16.0K

107.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 CA$1,102

$287 ฿9,500

176.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,571 CA$2,178

$910 ฿30.1K

72.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,392 CA$1,930

$531 ฿17.5K

162.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,992 CA$2,762

$1,980 ฿65.5K

0.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,635 CA$2,268

$1,451 ฿48.0K

12.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,831 CA$3,926

$605 ฿20.0K

367.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.57

5.57

-17.95%

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

Last update for St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: September 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $484 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 368% higher in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, 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 $72.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $425 vs $242 – 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

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador costs about 125% 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 $3,204 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and $1,426 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 $535 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 76% more in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, 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 $950, than in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador at $2,136. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $2,136 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. 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, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.