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: $3,416 in Biasca versus $932 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,075 in Biasca versus $1,399 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,733 in Biasca versus $1,866 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Biasca is roughly 266% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Biasca is 150% above, Chiang Mai is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.47 CHF 18.46

$2.08 ฿69.3

980.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.2 CHF 51.2

$19.61 ฿653

217.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.17 CHF 10.00

$5.67 ฿189

114.64%

Cappuccino

$4.25 CHF 3.49

$1.81 ฿60.1

134.81%

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

$6.54 CHF 5.37

$0.77 ฿25.58

749.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.27 CHF 5.16

$0.35 ฿11.49

1691.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.86 CHF 8.10

$2.21 ฿73.7

346.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 CHF 6.47

$3.79 ฿126

107.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.81

$2.05 ฿68.2

7.32%

White Bread (500g)

$4.02 CHF 3.31

$1.51 ฿50.4

166.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.24 CHF 3.48

$1.40 ฿46.57

202.86%

Eggs

$8.06 CHF 6.62

$2.26 ฿75.2

256.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.00 CHF 23.01

$16.19 ฿539

72.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.27 CHF 26.52

$2.90 ฿96.4

1012.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.05 CHF 35.38

$9.42 ฿314

357.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 CHF 3.00

$2.68 ฿89.2

36.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 CHF 1.70

$1.09 ฿36.28

89.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 CHF 2.36

$1.62 ฿53.8

77.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.38 CHF 4.42

$1.46 ฿48.61

268.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 CHF 1.71

$1.28 ฿42.54

62.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 CHF 1.79

$1.06 ฿35.21

105.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CHF 2.02

$0.72 ฿23.88

241.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.11

$0.53 ฿17.51

156.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.28 CHF 8.45

$4.23 ฿141

143.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.82 CHF 15.46

$18.29 ฿609

2.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CHF 2.52

$1.63 ฿54.3

88.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 CHF 3.39

$2.90 ฿96.6

42.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.43 CHF 3.64

$0.88 ฿29.24

403.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 CHF 82.7

$53.8 ฿1,790

87.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.89 CHF 7.30

$1.17 ฿39.04

659.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$6.15 CHF 5.06

$0.58 ฿19.25

960.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.6 CHF 66.2

$2.39 ฿79.4

3270.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.82

$1.45 ฿48.28

52.41%

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

$43.3K CHF 35.6K

$21.0K ฿699.5K

106.17%

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

$39.6K CHF 32.6K

$26.4K ฿879.7K

49.90%

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

$231 CHF 190

$63.7 ฿2,119

262.97%

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

$41.24 CHF 33.89

$12.89 ฿429

219.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 CHF 51.9

$20.52 ฿683

207.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.7 CHF 75.4

$39.02 ฿1,299

135.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.52 CHF 38.23

$3.92 ฿130

1086.73%

Cinema Ticket

$24.51 CHF 20.14

$6.58 ฿219

272.49%

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

$4,374 CHF 3,594

$784 ฿26.1K

457.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.7K CHF 29.3K

$14.7K ฿488.4K

143.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$171 CHF 140

$55.1 ฿1,835

210.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.9 CHF 58.3

$24.74 ฿824

186.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$191 CHF 157

$94.1 ฿3,133

103.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$282 CHF 232

$74.0 ฿2,462

281.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,748 CHF 1,436

$490 ฿16.3K

256.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,487 CHF 1,222

$288 ฿9,594

415.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,950 CHF 2,424

$891 ฿29.7K

230.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,540 CHF 2,088

$521 ฿17.3K

387.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.7K CHF 13.7K

$1,974 ฿65.7K

744.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.2K CHF 10.0K

$1,444 ฿48.1K

743.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

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 Biasca: September 15, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,748 in Biasca and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62.0 in Biasca vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $653 vs $241 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 266% in total monthly costs ($3,416 vs $932 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $5,124 in Biasca and $1,398 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: $1,748 in Biasca versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,416 per month in Biasca versus $932 in Chiang Mai – a 266% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 87% less than in Biasca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $3,416 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 266% less than in Biasca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.