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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,361 per month in Arbon vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,221 per month in Arbon vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,082 per month in Arbon vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Arbon costs about 290% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Arbon sits 152% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.53 CHF 24.68

$1.96 ฿65.9

1457.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$139 CHF 112

$18.35 ฿617

657.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.34 CHF 14.02

$7.48 ฿252

131.82%

Cappuccino

$6.16 CHF 4.98

$2.02 ฿67.8

204.95%

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

$5.35 CHF 4.32

$0.85 ฿28.52

529.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 CHF 3.52

$0.36 ฿11.97

1108.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.72 CHF 6.24

$2.14 ฿71.9

260.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 CHF 5.82

$3.59 ฿121

100.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.84

$1.65 ฿55.5

38.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 CHF 2.08

$1.57 ฿52.7

63.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 CHF 2.93

$1.19 ฿40.05

205.04%

Eggs

$7.91 CHF 6.39

$1.94 ฿65.1

307.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.75 CHF 22.43

$16.19 ฿545

71.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.72 CHF 26.46

$2.99 ฿101

994.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.18 CHF 33.29

$10.94 ฿368

276.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 CHF 2.58

$2.71 ฿91.2

17.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 CHF 1.48

$1.17 ฿39.27

56.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.02

$1.69 ฿56.8

47.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.36 CHF 5.14

$1.60 ฿54.0

297.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.01

$1.38 ฿46.56

80.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 CHF 1.92

$1.20 ฿40.47

98.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CHF 2.09

$0.67 ฿22.51

285.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CHF 0.93

$0.56 ฿18.74

105.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.80 CHF 8.73

$4.64 ฿156

132.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 CHF 9.03

$17.62 ฿593

-36.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CHF 1.82

$1.86 ฿62.6

20.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$3.30 ฿111

-29.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.89 CHF 3.15

$0.88 ฿29.70

342.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 CHF 78.4

$19.34 ฿651

401.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.71 CHF 5.42

$1.36 ฿45.92

393.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.24 CHF 3.43

$1.34 ฿45.00

216.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.8 CHF 63.7

$8.21 ฿276

860.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.76

$1.22 ฿41.20

77.87%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.1K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

86.16%

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

$42.9K CHF 34.7K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

90.59%

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

$251 CHF 203

$70.7 ฿2,378

254.80%

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

$59.3 CHF 47.97

$14.04 ฿472

322.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.0 CHF 43.68

$17.49 ฿589

208.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.4 CHF 72.3

$42.15 ฿1,418

112.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$22.30 CHF 18.03

$5.92 ฿199

276.69%

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

$2,789 CHF 2,255

$309 ฿10.4K

804.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.8K CHF 34.6K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

187.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 111

$55.8 ฿1,876

145.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.4 CHF 52.1

$26.11 ฿879

146.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 CHF 106

$83.0 ฿2,793

57.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 CHF 130

$70.5 ฿2,371

128.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,702 CHF 1,376

$432 ฿14.5K

293.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,445 CHF 1,169

$239 ฿8,040

504.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,874 CHF 2,324

$822 ฿27.7K

249.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,437 CHF 1,971

$512 ฿17.2K

375.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.8K CHF 12.0K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

674.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K CHF 8,587

$1,467 ฿49.4K

623.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$11.3K CHF 9,150

$579 ฿19.5K

1853.28%

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 Arbon: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,702 in Arbon versus $432 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 1853% higher in Arbon, 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 $139 in Arbon versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $608 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,361 in Arbon, $861 in Chiang Mai – roughly 290% apart. Arbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,041 per month in Arbon and $1,292 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 $3,361 in Arbon and $861 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 402% 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 $861, than in Arbon at $3,361. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $861 in Chiang Mai to $3,361 in Arbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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