Cost of Living Comparison Between Thompson and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Thompson and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,825 per month in Thompson vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,799 per month in Thompson vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,773 per month in Thompson vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Thompson costs about 114% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Thompson sits 37% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.18 CA$24.11

$2.04 ฿68.4

742.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.9 CA$99.6

$18.71 ฿626

279.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.13 CA$15.63

$7.86 ฿263

41.60%

Cappuccino

$3.87 CA$5.43

$2.03 ฿67.9

90.64%

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

$2.06 CA$2.89

$0.80 ฿26.71

157.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.43

$0.35 ฿11.71

394.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.53 CA$7.76

$2.14 ฿71.7

158.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 CA$8.02

$3.67 ฿123

55.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 CA$2.95

$1.73 ฿57.8

21.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.75

$1.57 ฿52.5

70.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.91

$1.20 ฿40.10

191.67%

Eggs

$3.52 CA$4.94

$1.97 ฿66.0

78.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.34 CA$15.91

$16.23 ฿543

-30.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.84 CA$16.62

$3.06 ฿102

286.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 CA$20.24

$10.80 ฿361

33.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.66

$2.77 ฿92.6

45.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.94

$1.17 ฿39.05

17.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.11

$1.71 ฿57.1

112.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.39

$1.59 ฿53.3

141.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 CA$3.35

$1.39 ฿46.63

71.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.60

$1.16 ฿38.67

120.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CA$3.50

$0.66 ฿22.11

278.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.52

$0.52 ฿17.35

244.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.85 CA$19.45

$4.65 ฿155

197.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.45 CA$17.47

$17.78 ฿595

-29.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 CA$3.95

$1.79 ฿59.8

56.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 CA$4.21

$3.34 ฿112

-10.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 CA$3.27

$0.91 ฿30.35

156.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.6 CA$87.9

$18.64 ฿624

235.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 CA$4.56

$1.41 ฿47.17

130.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$1.34 ฿44.82

8.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.62 CA$35.95

$8.11 ฿271

215.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.58

$1.23 ฿41.27

-8.13%

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

$25.1K CA$35.3K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

17.19%

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

$20.4K CA$28.6K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

-6.73%

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

$143 CA$200

$71.3 ฿2,386

100.24%

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

$43.01 CA$60.4

$14.01 ฿469

207.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.9 CA$86.8

$17.93 ฿600

244.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.37 CA$58.1

$40.82 ฿1,365

1.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 CA$16.04

$5.72 ฿191

99.83%

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

$742 CA$1,041

$308 ฿10.3K

140.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.4K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-20.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 CA$77.0

$55.8 ฿1,865

-1.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.99 CA$56.1

$26.04 ฿871

53.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$122

$84.8 ฿2,837

2.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$149

$71.0 ฿2,375

49.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$700 CA$983

$423 ฿14.2K

65.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 CA$981

$242 ฿8,110

188.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 CA$1,612

$797 ฿26.7K

44.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 CA$1,607

$507 ฿17.0K

125.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,532 CA$6,361

$1,918 ฿64.2K

136.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,120 CA$4,379

$1,464 ฿49.0K

113.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,552 CA$2,179

$595 ฿19.9K

160.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

29.20%

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

Last update for Thompson: July 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $700 in Thompson versus $423 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 161% higher in Thompson, 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 $71.0 in Thompson versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $244 – 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

Thompson vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thompson costs about 114% 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 $2,737 per month in Thompson and $1,279 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 $742 per month in Thompson and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% more in Thompson, 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 $852, than in Thompson at $1,825. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thompson it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,825 in Thompson. 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, Thompson makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.