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 $3,472 per month in Altstätten vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,343 per month in Altstätten vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,214 per month in Altstätten vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Altstätten costs about 300% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Altstätten sits 158% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.06 CHF 24.66

$1.98 ฿64.3

1468.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 CHF 114

$18.80 ฿612

664.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.18 CHF 14.44

$7.75 ฿252

134.58%

Cappuccino

$6.09 CHF 4.84

$1.92 ฿62.5

217.19%

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

$5.39 CHF 4.28

$0.79 ฿25.79

582.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 CHF 3.76

$0.36 ฿11.62

1213.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.33 CHF 6.62

$2.21 ฿72.1

276.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.23 CHF 5.74

$3.66 ฿119

97.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 CHF 1.69

$1.65 ฿53.8

29.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 CHF 2.84

$1.63 ฿53.2

119.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.14 CHF 3.28

$1.19 ฿38.86

247.90%

Eggs

$7.53 CHF 5.98

$2.00 ฿65.1

276.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.23 CHF 23.21

$15.98 ฿520

82.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.90 CHF 26.12

$3.03 ฿98.5

985.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.54 CHF 37.74

$10.86 ฿354

337.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 CHF 2.99

$2.76 ฿90.0

36.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 CHF 1.80

$1.18 ฿38.42

92.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 CHF 2.30

$1.64 ฿53.5

76.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.14 CHF 4.87

$1.52 ฿49.51

303.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 CHF 1.92

$1.38 ฿45.10

75.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 CHF 1.95

$1.19 ฿38.84

105.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CHF 2.06

$0.70 ฿22.86

270.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 CHF 1.04

$0.56 ฿18.13

133.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.18 CHF 8.87

$4.58 ฿149

144.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.81 CHF 10.96

$16.56 ฿539

-16.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 CHF 1.93

$1.83 ฿59.5

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 CHF 2.55

$3.20 ฿104

0.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 CHF 3.13

$0.88 ฿28.56

348.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.5 CHF 77.4

$18.72 ฿610

420.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.69 CHF 6.11

$1.36 ฿44.16

465.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.17 CHF 3.31

$1.34 ฿43.65

211.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.5 CHF 63.2

$7.84 ฿256

914.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.74

$1.23 ฿39.92

78.05%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.2K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

87.66%

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

$40.9K CHF 32.4K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

81.21%

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

$256 CHF 203

$70.5 ฿2,298

262.35%

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

$48.37 CHF 38.40

$13.68 ฿445

253.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 45.80

$17.45 ฿568

230.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.9 CHF 70.6

$41.33 ฿1,346

115.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$22.76 CHF 18.07

$5.77 ฿188

294.45%

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

$2,854 CHF 2,266

$307 ฿10.0K

829.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.8K CHF 27.6K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

138.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 111

$55.8 ฿1,817

149.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.7 CHF 53.0

$26.21 ฿854

154.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 116

$85.8 ฿2,793

70.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 150

$72.2 ฿2,353

161.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,732 CHF 1,375

$430 ฿14.0K

302.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 CHF 1,184

$239 ฿7,774

524.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,863 CHF 2,273

$817 ฿26.6K

250.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,432 CHF 1,931

$511 ฿16.6K

376.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.9K CHF 11.8K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

650.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.5K CHF 8,351

$1,484 ฿48.3K

608.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿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 Altstätten: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,732 in Altstätten versus $430 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 $144 in Altstätten versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $658 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

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

Yes – Altstätten is pricier by about 300%, 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 $5,208 per month in Altstätten and $1,303 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 $3,472 in Altstätten and $869 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 421% 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 $869, than in Altstätten at $3,472. 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.