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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,618 per month in Victoria vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,925 per month in Victoria vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,231 per month in Victoria vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Victoria costs about 176% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Victoria sits 91% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.16 CA$25.15

$2.08 ฿69.2

773.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 CA$101

$19.64 ฿651

271.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.71 CA$14.83

$5.65 ฿188

89.56%

Cappuccino

$4.30 CA$5.96

$1.81 ฿59.9

137.57%

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

$2.34 CA$3.24

$0.71 ฿23.66

229.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 CA$2.53

$0.32 ฿10.48

471.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.64 CA$7.80

$2.24 ฿74.2

151.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.39 CA$8.85

$3.63 ฿121

76.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.03 CA$4.19

$1.96 ฿65.0

54.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.20 CA$4.43

$1.50 ฿49.83

113.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.23 CA$5.86

$1.34 ฿44.32

215.67%

Eggs

$4.34 CA$6.01

$2.26 ฿75.1

92.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.57 CA$38.18

$16.26 ฿539

69.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.22 CA$16.92

$2.95 ฿98.0

314.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.64 CA$20.27

$9.94 ฿330

47.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.57

$2.57 ฿85.3

56.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.97

$1.06 ฿35.04

34.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.58

$1.61 ฿53.5

150.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 CA$5.92

$1.52 ฿50.4

181.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.01

$1.27 ฿42.14

185.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.99

$1.07 ฿35.37

169.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.17 CA$4.39

$0.72 ฿23.89

340.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 CA$3.63

$0.51 ฿16.87

413.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.86 CA$20.58

$4.19 ฿139

254.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.09 CA$25.04

$17.87 ฿593

1.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.88 CA$5.38

$1.69 ฿56.2

129.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 CA$5.12

$2.84 ฿94.1

30.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 CA$3.08

$0.93 ฿30.70

138.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.5 CA$85.1

$53.9 ฿1,787

14.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 CA$3.82

$1.23 ฿40.95

124.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 CA$2.27

$0.58 ฿19.13

182.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.58 CA$49.26

$2.42 ฿80.4

1370.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$1.41 ฿46.84

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

$28.2K CA$39.0K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

31.35%

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

$19.1K CA$26.4K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

-30.22%

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

$116 CA$161

$63.7 ฿2,112

82.33%

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

$45.30 CA$62.7

$12.85 ฿426

252.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.4 CA$89.2

$20.22 ฿671

218.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.90 CA$60.8

$38.74 ฿1,285

13.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.26 CA$25.29

$3.97 ฿132

359.95%

Cinema Ticket

$10.86 CA$15.04

$6.74 ฿223

61.13%

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

$910 CA$1,260

$778 ฿25.8K

16.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K CA$32.0K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

58.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 CA$73.8

$54.3 ฿1,801

-1.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 CA$61.3

$25.45 ฿844

74.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 CA$128

$94.3 ฿3,129

-2.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$150

$73.4 ฿2,436

47.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 CA$2,204

$490 ฿16.2K

225.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,333 CA$1,846

$289 ฿9,596

360.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,764 CA$3,827

$894 ฿29.6K

209.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,388 CA$3,306

$517 ฿17.1K

361.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,446 CA$7,540

$1,955 ฿64.9K

178.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,489 CA$6,216

$1,477 ฿49.0K

203.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,353 CA$4,642

$602 ฿20.0K

456.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

5.57

-22.44%

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

Last update for Victoria: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,592 in Victoria versus $490 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 457% higher in Victoria, 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 Victoria versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $474 vs $240 – 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

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

Victoria costs about 176% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,928 per month in Victoria and $1,421 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 $910 per month in Victoria and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 97% more in Victoria, 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 $947, than in Victoria at $2,618. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Victoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $2,618 in Victoria. 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, Victoria makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.