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 $2,683 per month in Victoria vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,048 per month in Victoria vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,413 per month in Victoria vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Victoria costs about 210% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Victoria sits 100% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.24 CA$25.34

$1.94 ฿63.6

840.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$114

$18.64 ฿609

339.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.50

$7.82 ฿256

42.58%

Cappuccino

$4.00 CA$5.56

$1.95 ฿63.9

105.13%

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

$2.32 CA$3.22

$0.85 ฿27.80

172.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 CA$2.85

$0.35 ฿11.60

485.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.22 CA$7.26

$2.13 ฿69.7

145.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 CA$8.97

$3.73 ฿122

72.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.95 CA$4.09

$1.71 ฿56.0

72.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.20 CA$4.45

$1.63 ฿53.3

96.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.26 CA$7.31

$1.14 ฿37.18

361.40%

Eggs

$4.36 CA$6.06

$1.93 ฿63.2

125.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.22 CA$18.37

$16.21 ฿530

-18.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.96 CA$20.78

$3.12 ฿102

379.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.32 CA$21.28

$10.90 ฿356

40.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 CA$6.33

$2.75 ฿90.1

65.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 CA$2.32

$1.21 ฿39.56

38.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 CA$6.11

$1.62 ฿53.0

171.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 CA$6.68

$1.59 ฿51.9

202.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.26

$1.40 ฿45.75

170.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.51

$1.17 ฿38.20

177.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 CA$3.86

$0.66 ฿21.62

321.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 CA$3.69

$0.53 ฿17.24

400.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.68 CA$21.79

$4.69 ฿153

234.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.28 CA$25.39

$18.66 ฿610

-2.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.94 CA$5.47

$1.80 ฿58.8

118.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 CA$6.32

$3.23 ฿106

40.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.87 CA$2.60

$0.90 ฿29.28

107.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.7 CA$88.5

$19.21 ฿628

231.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 CA$3.75

$1.41 ฿45.96

91.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.29 ฿42.16

3.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.20 CA$46.13

$7.84 ฿256

323.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CA$1.89

$1.27 ฿41.62

7.09%

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

$25.4K CA$35.3K

$21.3K ฿695.5K

19.39%

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

$21.2K CA$29.5K

$22.2K ฿726.1K

-4.43%

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

$140 CA$194

$69.1 ฿2,258

102.01%

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

$53.4 CA$74.1

$14.08 ฿460

278.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 CA$99.1

$18.00 ฿588

296.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.65 CA$62.0

$41.06 ฿1,342

8.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 CA$23.60

$6.96 ฿227

144.11%

Cinema Ticket

$11.82 CA$16.43

$5.92 ฿193

99.66%

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

$646 CA$897

$299 ฿9,775

115.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K CA$19.4K

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-6.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$81.5

$54.7 ฿1,788

7.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 CA$62.2

$26.77 ฿875

67.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 CA$133

$85.0 ฿2,778

12.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 CA$156

$70.6 ฿2,308

59.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 CA$2,173

$428 ฿14.0K

265.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,375 CA$1,910

$237 ฿7,759

479.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,740 CA$3,807

$801 ฿26.2K

241.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,402 CA$3,337

$515 ฿16.9K

365.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,702 CA$7,922

$1,975 ฿64.5K

188.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,713 CA$6,548

$1,475 ฿48.2K

219.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,994 CA$4,160

$617 ฿20.2K

384.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

27.60%

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

Last update for Victoria: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,564 in Victoria 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 385% 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 $82.0 in Victoria versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $461 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

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

Victoria costs about 210% 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 $4,024 per month in Victoria 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 $646 per month in Victoria 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 87% 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 $866, than in Victoria at $2,683. 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 $866 versus $2,683 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.