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 $3,015 per month in Aarau vs $848 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,757 per month in Aarau vs $1,331 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,499 per month in Aarau vs $1,814 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Aarau costs about 256% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Aarau sits 126% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.94 CHF 23.75

$1.96 ฿63.6

1427.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 CHF 85.3

$18.39 ฿598

484.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.24 CHF 15.26

$7.87 ฿256

144.47%

Cappuccino

$6.29 CHF 4.99

$1.95 ฿63.4

222.56%

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

$3.44 CHF 2.73

$0.85 ฿27.57

304.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 CHF 3.89

$0.32 ฿10.52

1431.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.24 CHF 6.54

$2.14 ฿69.6

285.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.50 CHF 5.95

$3.68 ฿120

103.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CHF 1.67

$1.66 ฿53.9

27.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 CHF 2.60

$1.56 ฿50.7

110.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 CHF 1.94

$1.19 ฿38.63

105.88%

Eggs

$6.88 CHF 5.46

$1.99 ฿64.7

245.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.84 CHF 22.87

$16.24 ฿528

77.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.31 CHF 28.80

$3.17 ฿103

1045.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.34 CHF 35.16

$10.84 ฿352

309.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 CHF 2.21

$2.65 ฿86.2

5.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.66

$1.22 ฿39.67

72.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 CHF 2.18

$1.65 ฿53.7

66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.88 CHF 4.66

$1.55 ฿50.3

279.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 CHF 1.79

$1.33 ฿43.17

69.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 CHF 1.63

$1.21 ฿39.43

69.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 CHF 2.08

$0.68 ฿22.04

285.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CHF 1.20

$0.57 ฿18.38

164.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.63 CHF 8.43

$4.68 ฿152

127.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 CHF 8.43

$16.99 ฿552

-37.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 CHF 1.84

$1.82 ฿59.3

27.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 CHF 1.72

$3.18 ฿103

-31.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.20 CHF 3.33

$0.91 ฿29.46

361.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$147 CHF 117

$18.74 ฿609

685.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.84 CHF 7.01

$1.41 ฿45.80

526.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.61 CHF 4.45

$1.34 ฿43.52

318.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.7 CHF 67.9

$8.14 ฿265

952.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.77

$1.28 ฿41.53

74.22%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.6K

$21.8K ฿709.3K

88.42%

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

$41.8K CHF 33.2K

$22.4K ฿728.0K

86.82%

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

$244 CHF 194

$70.5 ฿2,291

246.25%

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

$43.49 CHF 34.49

$14.05 ฿457

209.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 CHF 46.58

$17.65 ฿574

232.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.9 CHF 52.3

$41.29 ฿1,342

59.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.72 CHF 33.09

$6.76 ฿220

517.16%

Cinema Ticket

$23.80 CHF 18.88

$5.96 ฿194

299.33%

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

$3,257 CHF 2,583

$303 ฿9,846

975.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K CHF 19.6K

$15.0K ฿486.2K

65.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.3 CHF 73.2

$54.7 ฿1,778

68.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 CHF 42.52

$26.29 ฿854

103.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 CHF 87.3

$85.8 ฿2,788

28.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 CHF 138

$69.7 ฿2,265

150.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 CHF 1,006

$428 ฿13.9K

196.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 CHF 817

$239 ฿7,769

330.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,448 CHF 1,941

$811 ฿26.4K

201.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,111 CHF 1,674

$510 ฿16.6K

314.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K CHF 8,283

$2,025 ฿65.8K

415.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 9,976

$1,502 ฿48.8K

737.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,163 CHF 5,681

$623 ฿20.2K

1050.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

-50.00%

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

Last update for Aarau: June 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,269 in Aarau 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 1051% 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 $108 in Aarau versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $636 vs $242 – 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 256% 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 $4,522 per month in Aarau and $1,272 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 686% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,257 per month in Aarau and $303 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 $848, than in Aarau at $3,015. 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 $848 versus $3,015 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.