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 $3,775 per month in Bellinzona vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,826 per month in Bellinzona vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,877 per month in Bellinzona vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bellinzona costs about 343% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Bellinzona sits 182% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.89 CHF 24.43

$1.96 ฿64.0

1476.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 CHF 86.8

$18.81 ฿615

483.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.53 CHF 14.66

$7.92 ฿259

133.96%

Cappuccino

$4.30 CHF 3.40

$1.91 ฿62.6

125.13%

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

$4.81 CHF 3.80

$0.84 ฿27.41

472.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 CHF 3.28

$0.35 ฿11.51

1085.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.50 CHF 5.93

$2.21 ฿72.1

239.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.23 CHF 4.93

$3.80 ฿124

63.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.73

$1.64 ฿53.5

33.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.93 CHF 3.11

$1.62 ฿53.1

142.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.26 CHF 4.16

$1.18 ฿38.62

345.76%

Eggs

$7.93 CHF 6.27

$2.01 ฿65.8

294.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.38 CHF 23.24

$15.89 ฿520

84.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.33 CHF 28.74

$3.01 ฿98.5

1106.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.16 CHF 37.30

$10.77 ฿352

337.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 CHF 2.92

$2.61 ฿85.5

41.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 CHF 1.65

$1.22 ฿39.88

71.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 CHF 2.23

$1.70 ฿55.7

65.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.41 CHF 5.86

$1.58 ฿51.5

368.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 CHF 1.76

$1.32 ฿43.14

68.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 1.98

$1.17 ฿38.23

114.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CHF 2.07

$0.67 ฿21.98

289.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 CHF 1.32

$0.56 ฿18.32

198.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.96 CHF 8.67

$4.53 ฿148

141.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.21 CHF 15.19

$18.20 ฿595

5.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.09 CHF 3.23

$1.83 ฿60.0

123.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 CHF 3.38

$3.23 ฿106

32.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.24 CHF 4.93

$0.89 ฿29.00

601.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.8 CHF 76.6

$19.38 ฿634

399.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.88 CHF 5.44

$1.35 ฿44.20

409.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.56 CHF 3.61

$1.35 ฿44.05

237.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.6 CHF 48.74

$8.25 ฿270

646.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 CHF 1.68

$1.27 ฿41.64

67.72%

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

$39.7K CHF 31.4K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

87.86%

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

$38.2K CHF 30.2K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

70.07%

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

$290 CHF 229

$70.2 ฿2,294

312.69%

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

$67.3 CHF 53.3

$13.77 ฿450

388.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CHF 45.96

$17.60 ฿575

230.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$111 CHF 87.8

$41.57 ฿1,360

167.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$64.0 CHF 50.6

$6.60 ฿216

868.94%

Cinema Ticket

$23.58 CHF 18.65

$5.78 ฿189

307.96%

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

$1,835 CHF 1,451

$306 ฿10.0K

499.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.1K CHF 27.7K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

136.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$126 CHF 99.4

$54.4 ฿1,778

131.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.91 CHF 38.69

$26.14 ฿855

87.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$157 CHF 124

$84.5 ฿2,764

85.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 150

$69.4 ฿2,270

172.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,871 CHF 1,480

$424 ฿13.9K

341.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,720 CHF 1,361

$238 ฿7,788

622.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,821 CHF 2,232

$825 ฿27.0K

242.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,964 CHF 2,345

$515 ฿16.8K

475.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.4K CHF 13.7K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

748.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.1K CHF 9,573

$1,523 ฿49.8K

694.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,421 CHF 5,079

$635 ฿20.8K

910.80%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,871 in Bellinzona versus $424 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 911% 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: $714 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,775 in Bellinzona, $852 in Chiang Mai – roughly 343% apart. Bellinzona costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,663 per month in Bellinzona and $1,278 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 $3,775 in Bellinzona and $852 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 400% 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 $852, than in Bellinzona at $3,775. 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 $852 in Chiang Mai to $3,775 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.