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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,509 in Biasca versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,148 in Biasca versus $1,360 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,787 in Biasca versus $1,867 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Biasca is roughly 312% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Biasca is 164% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.86 CHF 17.71

$2.04 ฿68.3

971.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 CHF 49.22

$18.71 ฿625

224.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.16 CHF 9.85

$7.86 ฿262

54.71%

Cappuccino

$4.42 CHF 3.58

$2.03 ฿67.8

117.73%

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

$6.21 CHF 5.03

$0.80 ฿26.67

676.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.48 CHF 4.44

$0.35 ฿11.69

1465.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.46 CHF 8.47

$2.14 ฿71.6

388.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.41 CHF 6.00

$3.67 ฿123

101.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.85

$1.73 ฿57.7

32.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 CHF 3.22

$1.57 ฿52.5

152.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.23 CHF 4.24

$1.20 ฿40.04

335.83%

Eggs

$8.04 CHF 6.52

$1.97 ฿65.9

308.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.69 CHF 23.25

$16.23 ฿542

76.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.37 CHF 28.66

$3.06 ฿102

1055.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.57 CHF 35.30

$10.80 ฿361

303.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 CHF 3.09

$2.77 ฿92.5

37.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.70

$1.17 ฿38.99

79.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 CHF 2.30

$1.71 ฿57.0

66.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.13 CHF 5.78

$1.59 ฿53.2

348.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.89

$1.39 ฿46.56

67.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 2.03

$1.16 ฿38.61

115.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CHF 2.14

$0.66 ฿22.08

300.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 CHF 1.30

$0.52 ฿17.33

207.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.25 CHF 8.30

$4.65 ฿155

120.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.13 CHF 14.69

$17.78 ฿594

1.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.05 CHF 3.28

$1.79 ฿59.7

126.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 CHF 3.48

$3.34 ฿112

28.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.89 CHF 3.15

$0.91 ฿30.30

327.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 CHF 81.1

$18.64 ฿623

436.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.73 CHF 7.08

$1.41 ฿47.10

519.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.72 CHF 4.63

$1.34 ฿44.76

326.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.1 CHF 71.4

$8.11 ฿271

985.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.74

$1.23 ฿41.21

74.80%

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

$40.4K CHF 32.7K

$21.4K ฿715.9K

88.50%

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

$41.5K CHF 33.7K

$21.8K ฿728.9K

90.37%

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

$290 CHF 235

$71.3 ฿2,382

305.86%

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

$68.1 CHF 55.2

$14.01 ฿468

385.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 CHF 47.47

$17.93 ฿599

226.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.0 CHF 70.5

$40.82 ฿1,363

113.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.49 CHF 32.81

$6.88 ฿230

488.52%

Cinema Ticket

$23.57 CHF 19.10

$5.72 ฿191

312.06%

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

$3,980 CHF 3,225

$308 ฿10.3K

1190.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.4K CHF 33.6K

$14.7K ฿490.3K

182.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 CHF 86.9

$55.8 ฿1,863

92.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 CHF 43.18

$26.04 ฿870

104.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$155 CHF 125

$84.8 ฿2,833

82.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 CHF 151

$71.0 ฿2,371

162.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,702 CHF 1,380

$423 ฿14.1K

302.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 CHF 1,196

$242 ฿8,098

508.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,778 CHF 2,251

$797 ฿26.6K

248.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,452 CHF 1,987

$507 ฿16.9K

383.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.2K CHF 13.2K

$1,918 ฿64.1K

746.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.2K CHF 10.7K

$1,464 ฿48.9K

800.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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 Biasca: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,702 in Biasca and $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61.0 in Biasca vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $695 vs $244 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

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

Biasca and Chiang Mai differ by about 312% in total monthly costs ($3,509 vs $852 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $5,263 in Biasca and $1,279 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,702 in Biasca versus $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,509 per month in Biasca versus $852 in Chiang Mai – a 312% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 437% less than in Biasca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $3,509 in Biasca, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Biasca. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Biasca 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 312% less than in Biasca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.