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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,409 in Bern versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,182 in Bern versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,955 in Bern versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bern is roughly 296% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bern is 155% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.49 CHF 23.08

$1.96 ฿65.8

1353.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 CHF 87.4

$18.35 ฿617

487.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.15 CHF 13.89

$7.48 ฿252

129.28%

Cappuccino

$5.75 CHF 4.65

$2.02 ฿67.8

184.65%

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

$4.76 CHF 3.85

$0.85 ฿28.50

460.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 CHF 3.87

$0.36 ฿11.96

1227.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 CHF 6.62

$2.14 ฿71.8

282.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.21 CHF 5.03

$3.59 ฿121

72.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$1.65 ฿55.5

34.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.33 CHF 2.69

$1.57 ฿52.7

112.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.26 CHF 3.45

$1.19 ฿40.02

257.98%

Eggs

$7.09 CHF 5.74

$1.94 ฿65.1

265.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.67 CHF 23.22

$16.19 ฿544

77.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.86 CHF 29.04

$2.99 ฿101

1099.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.00 CHF 33.21

$10.94 ฿368

274.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 CHF 2.73

$2.71 ฿91.2

24.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$1.17 ฿39.25

91.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 CHF 2.23

$1.69 ฿56.7

63.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.87 CHF 5.56

$1.60 ฿54.0

329.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 CHF 1.76

$1.38 ฿46.54

57.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 CHF 1.73

$1.20 ฿40.45

77.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 CHF 1.97

$0.67 ฿22.50

262.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CHF 0.93

$0.56 ฿18.73

105.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.52 CHF 9.33

$4.64 ฿156

148.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.19 CHF 9.88

$17.62 ฿593

-30.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 CHF 1.59

$1.86 ฿62.5

5.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 CHF 1.85

$3.30 ฿111

-30.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.74 CHF 3.03

$0.88 ฿29.68

325.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.5 CHF 79.8

$19.34 ฿650

409.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.04 CHF 6.51

$1.36 ฿45.90

491.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.44 CHF 3.60

$1.34 ฿44.98

231.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$91.5 CHF 74.1

$8.21 ฿276

1014.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.79

$1.22 ฿41.18

81.97%

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

$41.1K CHF 33.3K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

92.48%

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

$58.3K CHF 47.2K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

158.73%

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

$367 CHF 297

$70.7 ฿2,376

419.26%

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

$58.3 CHF 47.24

$14.04 ฿472

315.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CHF 47.04

$17.49 ฿588

232.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.1 CHF 65.7

$42.15 ฿1,417

92.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.39 CHF 37.58

$6.88 ฿231

574.27%

Cinema Ticket

$24.71 CHF 20.02

$5.92 ฿199

317.40%

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

$3,315 CHF 2,685

$309 ฿10.4K

974.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.1K CHF 32.5K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

169.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$154 CHF 125

$55.8 ฿1,875

176.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.1 CHF 56.0

$26.11 ฿878

164.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$174 CHF 141

$83.0 ฿2,792

109.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 153

$70.5 ฿2,369

168.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,871 CHF 1,516

$432 ฿14.5K

333.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CHF 1,040

$239 ฿8,035

437.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,197 CHF 2,589

$822 ฿27.7K

288.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,412 CHF 1,954

$512 ฿17.2K

371.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.2K CHF 15.5K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

901.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$15.4K CHF 12.4K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

946.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,080 CHF 5,735

$579 ฿19.5K

1122.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.52

-49.60%

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

Last update for Bern: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,871 in Bern and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bern pays 1122% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $108 in Bern vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $638 vs $243 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

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

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 296% lower than in Bern. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1122% higher in Bern, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,871 in Bern versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $108 in Bern. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,409 per month in Bern versus $861 in Chiang Mai – a 296% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $3,409 in Bern, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bern. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $861 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bern and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 296% less than in Bern. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.