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 $3,446 per month in Arbon vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,324 per month in Arbon vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,202 per month in Arbon vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Arbon costs about 264% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Arbon sits 151% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.29 CHF 25.44

$2.08 ฿69.2

1404.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 122

$19.64 ฿651

665.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.92 CHF 16.19

$5.65 ฿188

252.57%

Cappuccino

$6.29 CHF 5.11

$1.81 ฿59.9

247.51%

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

$6.09 CHF 4.95

$0.71 ฿23.66

757.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.47 CHF 4.44

$0.32 ฿10.48

1609.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.32 CHF 7.57

$2.24 ฿74.2

316.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.35 CHF 5.16

$3.63 ฿121

74.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.85

$1.96 ฿65.0

15.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 CHF 2.58

$1.50 ฿49.83

111.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CHF 3.04

$1.34 ฿44.32

178.36%

Eggs

$8.07 CHF 6.56

$2.26 ฿75.1

257.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.89 CHF 21.05

$16.26 ฿539

59.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.96 CHF 23.54

$2.95 ฿98.0

881.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.89 CHF 34.87

$9.94 ฿330

331.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 2.96

$2.57 ฿85.3

41.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 CHF 1.64

$1.06 ฿35.04

90.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.94

$1.61 ฿53.5

48.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.35 CHF 4.35

$1.52 ฿50.4

251.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 CHF 1.62

$1.27 ฿42.14

57.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 CHF 1.85

$1.07 ฿35.37

112.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 CHF 1.89

$0.72 ฿23.89

223.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CHF 1.00

$0.51 ฿16.87

139.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.34 CHF 9.22

$4.19 ฿139

170.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.57 CHF 14.28

$17.87 ฿593

-1.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 CHF 1.85

$1.69 ฿56.2

34.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 CHF 1.88

$2.84 ฿94.1

-18.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.22 CHF 3.43

$0.93 ฿30.70

353.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 CHF 74.0

$53.9 ฿1,787

68.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 CHF 5.39

$1.23 ฿40.95

439.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.70 CHF 3.82

$0.58 ฿19.13

710.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.2 CHF 66.0

$2.42 ฿80.4

3255.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 CHF 1.89

$1.41 ฿46.84

65.25%

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

$36.4K CHF 29.6K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

69.58%

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

$40.9K CHF 33.3K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

49.81%

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

$228 CHF 186

$63.7 ฿2,112

258.43%

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

$38.84 CHF 31.58

$12.85 ฿426

202.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 CHF 45.93

$20.22 ฿671

179.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.5 CHF 64.6

$38.74 ฿1,285

105.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.5 CHF 43.48

$3.97 ฿132

1247.10%

Cinema Ticket

$24.06 CHF 19.56

$6.74 ฿223

256.97%

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

$2,309 CHF 1,877

$778 ฿25.8K

196.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.3K CHF 26.2K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

120.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$146 CHF 118

$54.3 ฿1,801

168.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.2 CHF 53.8

$25.45 ฿844

160.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 121

$94.3 ฿3,129

58.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 CHF 153

$73.4 ฿2,436

155.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,556 CHF 1,265

$490 ฿16.2K

217.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 CHF 1,091

$289 ฿9,596

363.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,878 CHF 2,340

$894 ฿29.6K

222.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,721 CHF 2,212

$517 ฿17.1K

426.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.4K CHF 15.0K

$1,955 ฿64.9K

842.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.5K CHF 9,379

$1,477 ฿49.0K

681.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$11.6K CHF 9,446

$602 ฿20.0K

1829.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.9

5.57

-65.89%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Arbon: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,556 in Arbon versus $490 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 1830% 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 $150 in Arbon versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $605 vs $240 – 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: $3,446 in Arbon, $947 in Chiang Mai – roughly 264% apart. Arbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,170 per month in Arbon and $1,421 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 $3,446 in Arbon and $947 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 69% 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 $947, than in Arbon at $3,446. 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 $947 in Chiang Mai to $3,446 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.