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 $2,071 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,131 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,191 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador costs about 139% 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 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.72 CA$25.91

$1.94 ฿63.5

864.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.3 CA$102

$18.64 ฿609

293.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.66 CA$16.14

$7.82 ฿255

49.10%

Cappuccino

$3.32 CA$4.60

$1.95 ฿63.8

70.26%

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

$2.48 CA$3.44

$0.85 ฿27.77

191.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.50

$0.35 ฿11.58

414.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 CA$6.95

$2.13 ฿69.6

135.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 CA$7.22

$3.73 ฿122

39.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$1.71 ฿56.0

71.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CA$4.55

$1.63 ฿53.2

101.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 CA$6.23

$1.14 ฿37.15

294.74%

Eggs

$3.89 CA$5.39

$1.93 ฿63.1

101.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.75 CA$12.11

$16.21 ฿530

-46.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.85 CA$17.79

$3.12 ฿102

311.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 CA$15.50

$10.90 ฿356

2.66%

Apples (1kg)

$5.54 CA$7.67

$2.75 ฿90.0

101.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 CA$3.06

$1.21 ฿39.52

82.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.33 CA$7.37

$1.62 ฿53.0

229.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.19

$1.59 ฿51.8

89.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 CA$3.05

$1.40 ฿45.70

57.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.68

$1.17 ฿38.17

127.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.36 CA$4.66

$0.66 ฿21.60

409.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CA$3.12

$0.53 ฿17.22

324.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.36

$4.69 ฿153

213.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.28 CA$19.77

$18.66 ฿609

-23.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 CA$5.81

$1.80 ฿58.8

132.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 CA$6.51

$3.23 ฿106

45.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 CA$2.50

$0.90 ฿29.26

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 CA$79.7

$19.21 ฿628

199.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 CA$4.54

$1.41 ฿45.91

132.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 CA$2.38

$1.29 ฿42.12

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.11 CA$41.70

$7.84 ฿256

284.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$1.27 ฿41.58

-1.57%

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

$24.9K CA$34.5K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

17.14%

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

$22.0K CA$30.5K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-0.94%

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

$198 CA$275

$69.1 ฿2,256

187.19%

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

$58.2 CA$80.6

$14.08 ฿460

313.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.9 CA$108

$18.00 ฿588

332.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.7 CA$108

$41.06 ฿1,341

89.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 CA$15.03

$6.96 ฿227

55.89%

Cinema Ticket

$8.93 CA$12.37

$5.92 ฿193

50.84%

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

$505 CA$699

$299 ฿9,766

68.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,949 CA$12.4K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-40.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 CA$95.0

$54.7 ฿1,787

25.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 CA$71.9

$26.77 ฿874

94.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 CA$119

$85.0 ฿2,776

0.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 CA$134

$70.6 ฿2,306

37.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 CA$1,312

$428 ฿14.0K

121.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 CA$1,040

$237 ฿7,752

216.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 CA$1,993

$801 ฿26.2K

79.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 CA$1,787

$515 ฿16.8K

150.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,051 CA$2,840

$1,975 ฿64.5K

3.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,613 CA$2,234

$1,475 ฿48.2K

9.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,870 CA$3,974

$617 ฿20.2K

364.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

35.40%

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

Last update for St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $428 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 365% 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 $73.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $409 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

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

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador costs about 139% 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 $3,107 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and $1,300 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 $505 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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 66% 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 $866, than in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador at $2,071. 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 $866 versus $2,071 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.