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 $3,362 per month in Arbon vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,166 per month in Arbon vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,970 per month in Arbon vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Arbon costs about 288% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Arbon sits 151% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.71 CHF 24.21

$1.94 ฿63.5

1482.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$140 CHF 110

$18.64 ฿609

650.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.11 CHF 13.49

$7.82 ฿255

118.80%

Cappuccino

$6.33 CHF 4.99

$1.95 ฿63.8

224.62%

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

$5.27 CHF 4.15

$0.85 ฿27.77

520.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 CHF 3.41

$0.35 ฿11.58

1137.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.71 CHF 6.08

$2.13 ฿69.6

261.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.51 CHF 5.92

$3.73 ฿122

101.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.71

$1.71 ฿56.0

26.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 CHF 2.10

$1.63 ฿53.2

63.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 2.87

$1.14 ฿37.15

219.30%

Eggs

$7.87 CHF 6.20

$1.93 ฿63.1

307.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.41 CHF 21.61

$16.21 ฿530

69.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.88 CHF 25.14

$3.12 ฿102

921.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.41 CHF 31.86

$10.90 ฿356

270.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 CHF 2.47

$2.75 ฿90.0

14.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 CHF 1.45

$1.21 ฿39.52

52.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 CHF 2.01

$1.62 ฿53.0

57.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.51 CHF 5.14

$1.59 ฿51.8

309.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 1.97

$1.40 ฿45.70

78.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 CHF 1.80

$1.17 ฿38.17

94.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 CHF 2.01

$0.66 ฿21.60

286.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CHF 0.90

$0.53 ฿17.22

116.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.80 CHF 8.51

$4.69 ฿153

130.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.87 CHF 9.36

$18.66 ฿609

-36.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CHF 1.77

$1.80 ฿58.8

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 CHF 1.81

$3.23 ฿106

-29.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.90 CHF 3.07

$0.90 ฿29.26

333.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 CHF 79.2

$19.21 ฿628

422.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 CHF 5.32

$1.41 ฿45.91

378.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.26 CHF 3.36

$1.29 ฿42.12

230.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.5 CHF 63.5

$7.84 ฿256

926.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 CHF 1.66

$1.27 ฿41.58

66.14%

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

$40.5K CHF 31.9K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

90.13%

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

$43.1K CHF 34.0K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

93.92%

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

$248 CHF 196

$69.1 ฿2,256

259.77%

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

$59.2 CHF 46.67

$14.08 ฿460

320.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CHF 42.31

$18.00 ฿588

198.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.6 CHF 69.1

$41.06 ฿1,341

113.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$22.44 CHF 17.69

$5.92 ฿193

279.05%

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

$2,843 CHF 2,242

$299 ฿9,766

850.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.5K CHF 34.3K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

190.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 111

$54.7 ฿1,787

156.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.8 CHF 51.9

$26.77 ฿874

145.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 CHF 105

$85.0 ฿2,776

56.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 CHF 127

$70.6 ฿2,306

128.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 CHF 1,327

$428 ฿14.0K

293.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 CHF 1,176

$237 ฿7,752

528.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,865 CHF 2,259

$801 ฿26.2K

257.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,423 CHF 1,910

$515 ฿16.8K

369.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.2K CHF 11.2K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

620.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.6K CHF 9,140

$1,475 ฿48.2K

685.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$11.4K CHF 8,986

$617 ฿20.2K

1745.86%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,683 in Arbon 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 1746% 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 $140 in Arbon versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $602 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,362 in Arbon, $866 in Chiang Mai – roughly 288% apart. Arbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,043 per month in Arbon 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 $3,362 in Arbon 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 423% 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 Arbon at $3,362. 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 $866 in Chiang Mai to $3,362 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.