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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,843 per month in Bellinzona vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,899 per month in Bellinzona vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,954 per month in Bellinzona vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bellinzona costs about 342% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Bellinzona sits 186% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.05 CHF 24.65

$1.98 ฿64.3

1468.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 CHF 87.2

$18.80 ฿612

484.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.23 CHF 14.47

$7.75 ฿252

135.23%

Cappuccino

$4.27 CHF 3.39

$1.92 ฿62.5

122.40%

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

$4.75 CHF 3.77

$0.79 ฿25.79

501.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 CHF 3.18

$0.36 ฿11.62

1011.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.37 CHF 5.85

$2.21 ฿72.1

233.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.17 CHF 4.90

$3.66 ฿119

68.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.78

$1.65 ฿53.8

35.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.89 CHF 3.09

$1.63 ฿53.2

138.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.42 CHF 4.30

$1.19 ฿38.86

355.46%

Eggs

$7.91 CHF 6.28

$2.00 ฿65.1

295.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.57 CHF 23.48

$15.98 ฿520

85.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.75 CHF 29.18

$3.03 ฿98.5

1112.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.39 CHF 37.62

$10.86 ฿354

336.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 CHF 2.90

$2.76 ฿90.0

32.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 CHF 1.71

$1.18 ฿38.42

83.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 CHF 2.26

$1.64 ฿53.5

73.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.65 CHF 6.08

$1.52 ฿49.51

403.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 CHF 1.77

$1.38 ฿45.10

61.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 1.99

$1.19 ฿38.84

110.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 CHF 2.12

$0.70 ฿22.86

281.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CHF 1.28

$0.56 ฿18.13

189.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.88 CHF 8.64

$4.58 ฿149

137.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 CHF 14.77

$16.56 ฿539

12.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.06 CHF 3.22

$1.83 ฿59.5

121.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 CHF 3.51

$3.20 ฿104

38.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.07 CHF 4.82

$0.88 ฿28.56

589.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.0 CHF 77.8

$18.72 ฿610

423.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 CHF 5.35

$1.36 ฿44.16

395.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.54 CHF 3.61

$1.34 ฿43.65

238.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.2 CHF 49.34

$7.84 ฿256

692.73%

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)

$39.7K CHF 31.6K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

83.83%

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

$37.5K CHF 29.8K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

66.23%

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

$291 CHF 231

$70.5 ฿2,298

312.65%

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

$66.8 CHF 53.0

$13.68 ฿445

388.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.8 CHF 46.64

$17.45 ฿568

236.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 CHF 88.8

$41.33 ฿1,346

170.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$64.6 CHF 51.3

$6.96 ฿227

828.74%

Cinema Ticket

$23.34 CHF 18.53

$5.77 ฿188

304.51%

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

$1,841 CHF 1,461

$307 ฿10.0K

499.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.4K CHF 27.3K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

135.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$123 CHF 98.0

$55.8 ฿1,817

121.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.79 CHF 38.74

$26.21 ฿854

86.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$158 CHF 125

$85.8 ฿2,793

83.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$191 CHF 152

$72.2 ฿2,353

165.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 CHF 1,446

$430 ฿14.0K

323.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,698 CHF 1,348

$239 ฿7,774

611.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,743 CHF 2,178

$817 ฿26.6K

235.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,076 CHF 2,442

$511 ฿16.6K

502.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.9K CHF 13.4K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

751.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.7K CHF 9,320

$1,484 ฿48.3K

691.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,222 CHF 4,940

$619 ฿20.2K

905.51%

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 Bellinzona: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,821 in Bellinzona 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.

Salaries run about 906% higher in Bellinzona, 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 $110 in Bellinzona versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $718 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,843 in Bellinzona, $869 in Chiang Mai – roughly 342% apart. Bellinzona costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,764 per month in Bellinzona 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 $3,843 in Bellinzona 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 424% 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 Bellinzona at $3,843. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bellinzona 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 $869 in Chiang Mai to $3,843 in Bellinzona. 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, Bellinzona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.