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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,464 per month in Altstätten vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,384 per month in Altstätten vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,305 per month in Altstätten vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Altstätten costs about 306% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Altstätten sits 159% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.40 CHF 24.84

$1.96 ฿64.0

1502.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$141 CHF 112

$18.81 ฿615

649.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.85 CHF 14.91

$7.92 ฿259

138.01%

Cappuccino

$5.95 CHF 4.71

$1.91 ฿62.6

211.52%

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

$5.39 CHF 4.26

$0.84 ฿27.41

541.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 CHF 3.87

$0.35 ฿11.51

1300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.17 CHF 6.46

$2.21 ฿72.1

269.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.33 CHF 5.80

$3.80 ฿124

92.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$1.64 ฿53.5

31.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 CHF 2.85

$1.62 ฿53.1

122.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.19 CHF 3.31

$1.18 ฿38.62

255.08%

Eggs

$7.62 CHF 6.03

$2.01 ฿65.8

279.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.48 CHF 22.53

$15.89 ฿520

79.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.38 CHF 26.40

$3.01 ฿98.5

1008.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.18 CHF 37.32

$10.77 ฿352

338.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 CHF 2.87

$2.61 ฿85.5

38.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.84

$1.22 ฿39.88

90.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 CHF 2.26

$1.70 ฿55.7

67.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.14 CHF 4.85

$1.58 ฿51.5

288.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.00

$1.32 ฿43.14

91.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.91

$1.17 ฿38.23

105.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CHF 2.05

$0.67 ฿21.98

288.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 CHF 1.09

$0.56 ฿18.32

146.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.06 CHF 8.75

$4.53 ฿148

144.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CHF 11.00

$18.20 ฿595

-23.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.85

$1.83 ฿60.0

27.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 CHF 2.63

$3.23 ฿106

3.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.97 CHF 3.14

$0.89 ฿29.00

346.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.2 CHF 78.5

$19.38 ฿634

412.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.07

$1.35 ฿44.20

468.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.27 CHF 3.37

$1.35 ฿44.05

216.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.9 CHF 63.2

$8.25 ฿270

868.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 CHF 1.68

$1.27 ฿41.64

66.93%

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

$40.8K CHF 32.3K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

92.98%

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

$41.9K CHF 33.1K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

86.14%

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

$258 CHF 204

$70.2 ฿2,294

267.07%

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

$49.33 CHF 39.02

$13.77 ฿450

258.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 CHF 47.25

$17.60 ฿575

239.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.9 CHF 69.6

$41.57 ฿1,360

111.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$23.00 CHF 18.19

$5.78 ฿189

297.92%

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

$2,879 CHF 2,277

$306 ฿10.0K

840.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.1K CHF 27.0K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

130.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$136 CHF 108

$54.4 ฿1,778

150.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.3 CHF 53.3

$26.14 ฿855

157.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 CHF 118

$84.5 ฿2,764

77.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 149

$69.4 ฿2,270

171.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,721 CHF 1,361

$424 ฿13.9K

306.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 CHF 1,151

$238 ฿7,788

510.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,850 CHF 2,254

$825 ฿27.0K

245.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,475 CHF 1,958

$515 ฿16.8K

380.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.2K CHF 12.0K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

640.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K CHF 9,450

$1,523 ฿49.8K

684.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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 Altstätten: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,721 in Altstätten versus $424 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 Altstätten versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $658 vs $243 – 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

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

Yes – Altstätten is pricier by about 306%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,196 per month in Altstätten and $1,278 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 $3,464 in Altstätten and $852 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 412% 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 $852, than in Altstätten at $3,464. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Altstätten it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Altstätten makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.