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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,810 per month in Aarau vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,602 per month in Aarau vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,394 per month in Aarau vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Aarau costs about 201% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Aarau sits 105% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.46 CHF 24.31

$2.08 ฿69.5

1316.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$107 CHF 88.0

$19.61 ฿655

443.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.30 CHF 15.11

$5.67 ฿189

222.75%

Cappuccino

$5.82 CHF 4.80

$1.81 ฿60.3

221.55%

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

$5.26 CHF 4.34

$0.77 ฿25.65

583.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 CHF 3.97

$0.35 ฿11.53

1274.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 CHF 4.93

$2.21 ฿73.9

170.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 CHF 5.65

$3.79 ฿127

80.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 CHF 1.71

$2.05 ฿68.4

1.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 CHF 3.08

$1.51 ฿50.6

147.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.70 CHF 2.23

$1.40 ฿46.69

92.86%

Eggs

$7.50 CHF 6.19

$2.26 ฿75.4

231.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.99 CHF 25.58

$16.19 ฿540

91.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.82 CHF 24.62

$2.90 ฿96.7

928.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.05 CHF 34.71

$9.42 ฿314

346.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 CHF 2.43

$2.68 ฿89.4

10.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 CHF 1.43

$1.09 ฿36.37

58.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 2.01

$1.62 ฿54.0

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.87 CHF 4.84

$1.46 ฿48.74

302.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 CHF 1.44

$1.28 ฿42.65

35.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 CHF 1.69

$1.06 ฿35.31

93.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 CHF 1.81

$0.72 ฿23.94

205.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CHF 0.98

$0.53 ฿17.56

124.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.04 CHF 9.11

$4.23 ฿141

160.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.49 CHF 8.66

$18.29 ฿611

-42.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 CHF 2.15

$1.63 ฿54.4

59.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 CHF 2.44

$2.90 ฿96.8

2.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.22 CHF 4.31

$0.88 ฿29.32

493.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$148 CHF 122

$53.8 ฿1,795

175.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.18 CHF 5.92

$1.17 ฿39.14

513.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.45 CHF 2.85

$0.58 ฿19.30

494.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.4 CHF 51.5

$2.39 ฿79.6

2508.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.86

$1.45 ฿48.41

55.17%

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

$42.6K CHF 35.2K

$21.0K ฿701.4K

102.76%

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

$39.2K CHF 32.4K

$26.4K ฿882.0K

48.33%

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

$124 CHF 102

$63.7 ฿2,125

94.96%

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

$32.04 CHF 26.45

$12.89 ฿430

148.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 47.58

$20.52 ฿685

180.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$99.4 CHF 82.0

$39.02 ฿1,302

154.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$61.3 CHF 50.6

$3.92 ฿131

1464.29%

Cinema Ticket

$21.82 CHF 18.01

$6.58 ฿220

231.61%

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

$3,184 CHF 2,628

$784 ฿26.2K

306.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K CHF 20.9K

$14.7K ฿489.8K

72.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.5 CHF 74.7

$55.1 ฿1,840

64.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.8 CHF 61.7

$24.74 ฿826

202.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 CHF 89.3

$94.1 ฿3,142

14.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 CHF 144

$74.0 ฿2,469

135.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 CHF 1,070

$490 ฿16.4K

164.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 CHF 875

$288 ฿9,620

267.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,331 CHF 1,924

$891 ฿29.8K

161.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,114 CHF 1,745

$521 ฿17.4K

305.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.1K CHF 8,357

$1,974 ฿65.9K

412.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.3K CHF 10.1K

$1,444 ฿48.2K

748.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,890 CHF 5,687

$602 ฿20.1K

1045.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.31

5.57

-58.53%

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

Last update for Aarau: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,297 in Aarau 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 1045% higher in Aarau, 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 $107 in Aarau versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $604 vs $241 – 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

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

Aarau costs about 201% 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 $4,215 per month in Aarau and $1,398 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.

Public transport costs about 176% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,184 per month in Aarau and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Aarau at $2,810. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aarau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $2,810 in Aarau. 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, Aarau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.