Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney, NS and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney, NS and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,880 per month in Sydney, NS vs $872 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,831 per month in Sydney, NS vs $1,337 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,782 per month in Sydney, NS vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sydney, NS costs about 116% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Sydney, NS sits 40% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.69 CA$16.02

$2.01 ฿64.5

481.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 CA$83.8

$18.23 ฿584

235.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 CA$9.67

$7.65 ฿245

-7.71%

Cappuccino

$3.00 CA$4.12

$1.92 ฿61.5

56.25%

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

$2.20 CA$3.01

$0.84 ฿26.97

161.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.71

$0.36 ฿11.42

450.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.57 CA$7.64

$2.19 ฿70.2

154.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 CA$7.87

$3.79 ฿121

51.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.09

$1.64 ฿52.5

37.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 CA$3.55

$1.62 ฿52.0

59.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.48

$1.15 ฿36.98

120.87%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.85

$1.94 ฿62.2

82.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.57 CA$9.01

$15.94 ฿511

-58.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.72 CA$11.95

$3.10 ฿99.5

181.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.88 CA$19.02

$11.07 ฿355

25.38%

Apples (1kg)

$7.33 CA$10.05

$2.71 ฿86.8

170.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 CA$1.71

$1.18 ฿37.80

5.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 CA$4.98

$1.71 ฿54.7

112.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.96

$1.61 ฿51.5

-11.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 CA$1.16

$1.39 ฿44.66

-38.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 CA$3.45

$1.15 ฿36.81

119.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 CA$3.32

$0.71 ฿22.83

242.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.38

$0.55 ฿17.65

216.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.69 CA$25.61

$4.57 ฿146

308.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 CA$16.00

$18.87 ฿605

-38.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 CA$3.91

$1.82 ฿58.4

56.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$3.21 ฿103

33.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 CA$1.55

$0.88 ฿28.24

28.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.24 CA$67.5

$18.89 ฿606

160.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 CA$6.21

$1.41 ฿45.30

221.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CA$1.95

$1.30 ฿41.71

9.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.31 CA$34.67

$8.20 ฿263

208.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.58

$1.23 ฿39.29

-5.69%

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

$24.9K CA$34.2K

$21.2K ฿678.9K

17.74%

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

$20.1K CA$27.5K

$22.3K ฿715.3K

-9.95%

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

$90.9 CA$124

$69.9 ฿2,240

30.04%

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

$48.11 CA$65.9

$14.07 ฿451

241.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 CA$105

$17.70 ฿567

334.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 CA$68.9

$41.41 ฿1,328

21.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.63 CA$4.98

$6.69 ฿215

-45.74%

Cinema Ticket

$7.97 CA$10.91

$5.74 ฿184

38.85%

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

$741 CA$1,015

$299 ฿9,593

147.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.2K

$15.0K ฿481.2K

-21.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.7 CA$98.2

$54.8 ฿1,758

30.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.1 CA$93.3

$26.35 ฿845

158.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$142

$84.7 ฿2,714

22.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$149

$69.7 ฿2,236

55.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CA$1,491

$427 ฿13.7K

155.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 CA$1,111

$241 ฿7,718

236.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,962 CA$2,687

$811 ฿26.0K

141.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,443 CA$1,977

$498 ฿16.0K

189.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,060 CA$6,933

$2,022 ฿64.8K

150.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,746 CA$5,132

$1,524 ฿48.9K

145.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,560 CA$3,507

$639 ฿20.5K

300.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

37.00%

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

Last update for Sydney, NS: April 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,089 in Sydney, NS 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 300% higher in Sydney, NS, 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 Sydney, NS versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 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

Sydney, NS vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sydney, NS costs about 116% 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 $2,820 per month in Sydney, NS 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 $741 per month in Sydney, NS 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 33% more in Sydney, NS, 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 Sydney, NS at $1,880. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney, NS it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $872 versus $1,880 in Sydney, NS. 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, Sydney, NS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.