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 $2,118 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,111 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,103 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador costs about 146% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador sits 59% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.30 CA$25.75

$1.96 ฿65.8

833.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.8 CA$102

$18.35 ฿617

296.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.61 CA$16.33

$7.48 ฿252

55.21%

Cappuccino

$3.30 CA$4.65

$2.02 ฿67.8

63.37%

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

$2.51 CA$3.53

$0.85 ฿28.50

195.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.53

$0.36 ฿11.96

400.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.04 CA$7.09

$2.14 ฿71.8

135.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 CA$7.29

$3.59 ฿121

44.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.02 CA$4.25

$1.65 ฿55.5

83.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$1.57 ฿52.7

98.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.24

$1.19 ฿40.02

273.11%

Eggs

$3.82 CA$5.37

$1.94 ฿65.1

96.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 CA$12.74

$16.19 ฿544

-44.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$18.22

$2.99 ฿101

333.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.34 CA$15.96

$10.94 ฿368

3.66%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 CA$7.77

$2.71 ฿91.2

103.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 CA$3.23

$1.17 ฿39.25

95.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.50 CA$7.74

$1.69 ฿56.7

225.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.15 CA$4.43

$1.60 ฿54.0

96.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 CA$2.97

$1.38 ฿46.54

52.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.74

$1.20 ฿40.45

121.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.37 CA$4.74

$0.67 ฿22.50

402.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 CA$3.15

$0.56 ฿18.73

300.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.48 CA$20.37

$4.64 ฿156

212.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.08 CA$19.81

$17.62 ฿593

-20.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.29 CA$6.04

$1.86 ฿62.5

130.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 CA$6.73

$3.30 ฿111

45.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.89 CA$2.66

$0.88 ฿29.68

114.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.4 CA$79.4

$19.34 ฿650

191.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 CA$4.68

$1.36 ฿45.90

144.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 CA$2.47

$1.34 ฿44.98

30.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.32 CA$42.66

$8.21 ฿276

269.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CA$1.80

$1.22 ฿41.18

4.92%

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

$24.7K CA$34.7K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

15.57%

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

$22.6K CA$31.8K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

0.36%

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

$197 CA$277

$70.7 ฿2,376

178.90%

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

$57.6 CA$81.1

$14.04 ฿472

310.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.0 CA$111

$17.49 ฿588

351.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.4 CA$110

$42.15 ฿1,417

85.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.11 CA$15.63

$6.88 ฿231

61.48%

Cinema Ticket

$8.78 CA$12.36

$5.92 ฿199

48.31%

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

$491 CA$691

$309 ฿10.4K

59.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,797 CA$12.4K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-40.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 CA$94.5

$55.8 ฿1,875

20.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 CA$73.3

$26.11 ฿878

99.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 CA$117

$83.0 ฿2,792

0.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.0 CA$136

$70.5 ฿2,369

37.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 CA$1,334

$432 ฿14.5K

119.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$747 CA$1,051

$239 ฿8,035

212.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,425 CA$2,005

$822 ฿27.7K

73.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 CA$1,749

$512 ฿17.2K

142.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,973 CA$2,776

$1,915 ฿64.4K

3.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,575 CA$2,217

$1,467 ฿49.3K

7.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,734 CA$3,847

$579 ฿19.5K

371.87%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $948 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $432 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 372% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 vs $243 – 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 146% 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 $3,178 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and $1,292 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 $491 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 69% 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 $861, than in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador at $2,118. 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 $861 versus $2,118 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.