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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,434 per month in Airolo vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,391 per month in Airolo vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,348 per month in Airolo vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Airolo costs about 296% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Airolo sits 156% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.65 CHF 24.16

$1.94 ฿63.5

1479.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$141 CHF 111

$18.64 ฿609

656.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.38 CHF 14.49

$7.82 ฿255

135.04%

Cappuccino

$5.97 CHF 4.71

$1.95 ฿63.8

206.15%

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

$5.25 CHF 4.14

$0.85 ฿27.77

517.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 CHF 3.88

$0.35 ฿11.58

1305.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.51 CHF 6.71

$2.13 ฿69.6

299.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.24 CHF 5.71

$3.73 ฿122

94.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$1.71 ฿56.0

32.16%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 CHF 2.72

$1.63 ฿53.2

111.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.13 CHF 3.25

$1.14 ฿37.15

262.28%

Eggs

$7.28 CHF 5.74

$1.93 ฿63.1

277.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.89 CHF 22.78

$16.21 ฿530

78.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.67 CHF 26.54

$3.12 ฿102

979.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$46.75 CHF 36.86

$10.90 ฿356

328.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 CHF 2.92

$2.75 ฿90.0

34.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 CHF 1.83

$1.21 ฿39.52

91.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CHF 2.33

$1.62 ฿53.0

82.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.36 CHF 5.02

$1.59 ฿51.8

300.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.90

$1.40 ฿45.70

72.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.84

$1.17 ฿38.17

99.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.00

$0.66 ฿21.60

284.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 CHF 1.09

$0.53 ฿17.22

160.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.96 CHF 8.64

$4.69 ฿153

133.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.93 CHF 10.20

$18.66 ฿609

-30.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 CHF 1.87

$1.80 ฿58.8

31.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CHF 2.60

$3.23 ฿106

2.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.93 CHF 3.10

$0.90 ฿29.26

336.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.5 CHF 78.4

$19.21 ฿628

417.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 CHF 6.38

$1.41 ฿45.91

473.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.35 CHF 3.43

$1.29 ฿42.12

237.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.6 CHF 63.6

$7.84 ฿256

928.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.69

$1.27 ฿41.58

69.29%

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

$39.7K CHF 31.3K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

86.77%

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

$41.3K CHF 32.6K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

86.12%

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

$265 CHF 209

$69.1 ฿2,256

284.09%

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

$48.55 CHF 38.28

$14.08 ฿460

244.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 CHF 47.09

$18.00 ฿588

231.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.2 CHF 68.7

$41.06 ฿1,341

112.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$23.04 CHF 18.16

$5.92 ฿193

289.19%

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

$2,857 CHF 2,253

$299 ฿9,766

855.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.6K CHF 27.3K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

131.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 109

$54.7 ฿1,787

151.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.8 CHF 53.4

$26.77 ฿874

153.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 CHF 117

$85.0 ฿2,776

74.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$191 CHF 151

$70.6 ฿2,306

171.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,733 CHF 1,366

$428 ฿14.0K

304.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,451 CHF 1,144

$237 ฿7,752

511.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,842 CHF 2,241

$801 ฿26.2K

254.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,489 CHF 1,962

$515 ฿16.8K

382.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K CHF 9,608

$1,975 ฿64.5K

517.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.3K CHF 8,087

$1,475 ฿48.2K

595.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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 Airolo: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,733 in Airolo 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $141 in Airolo versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $657 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

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

Airolo costs about 296% 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 $5,151 per month in Airolo 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,434 in Airolo and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 418% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Airolo at $3,434. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Airolo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $3,434 in Airolo. 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, Airolo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.