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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,120 per month in Biel vs $848 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,725 per month in Biel vs $1,331 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,330 per month in Biel vs $1,814 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Biel costs about 268% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Biel sits 134% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.31 CHF 19.28

$1.96 ฿63.6

1140.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 CHF 86.6

$18.39 ฿598

493.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.01 CHF 12.70

$7.87 ฿256

103.43%

Cappuccino

$6.15 CHF 4.88

$1.95 ฿63.4

215.38%

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

$5.31 CHF 4.21

$0.85 ฿27.57

524.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 CHF 3.87

$0.32 ฿10.52

1421.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.65 CHF 6.06

$2.14 ฿69.6

257.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 CHF 5.46

$3.68 ฿120

86.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.73

$1.66 ฿53.9

31.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.77 CHF 2.99

$1.56 ฿50.7

141.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.26 CHF 3.38

$1.19 ฿38.63

257.98%

Eggs

$7.54 CHF 5.98

$1.99 ฿64.7

278.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.72 CHF 24.37

$16.24 ฿528

89.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$34.92 CHF 27.69

$3.17 ฿103

1001.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.7 CHF 41.01

$10.84 ฿352

377.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 CHF 2.66

$2.65 ฿86.2

26.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.78

$1.22 ฿39.67

83.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 CHF 2.38

$1.65 ฿53.7

82.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 CHF 3.26

$1.55 ฿50.3

165.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 CHF 1.97

$1.33 ฿43.17

86.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 1.97

$1.21 ฿39.43

105.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CHF 2.07

$0.68 ฿22.04

282.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 CHF 0.71

$0.57 ฿18.38

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.11 CHF 8.81

$4.68 ฿152

137.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 CHF 10.76

$16.99 ฿552

-20.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 CHF 1.83

$1.82 ฿59.3

26.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 CHF 2.64

$3.18 ฿103

4.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.42 CHF 3.50

$0.91 ฿29.46

385.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 CHF 87.3

$18.74 ฿609

487.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.54 CHF 9.94

$1.41 ฿45.80

789.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.23 CHF 3.36

$1.34 ฿43.52

215.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$84.5 CHF 67.0

$8.14 ฿265

937.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.70

$1.28 ฿41.53

67.19%

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

$31.1K CHF 24.7K

$21.8K ฿709.3K

42.46%

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

$28.6K CHF 22.6K

$22.4K ฿728.0K

27.48%

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

$245 CHF 194

$70.5 ฿2,291

247.60%

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

$35.79 CHF 28.38

$14.05 ฿457

154.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 CHF 44.44

$17.65 ฿574

217.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$113 CHF 90.0

$41.29 ฿1,342

174.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$73.6 CHF 58.4

$6.76 ฿220

988.31%

Cinema Ticket

$22.57 CHF 17.90

$5.96 ฿194

278.69%

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

$2,933 CHF 2,326

$303 ฿9,846

868.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.6K CHF 33.8K

$15.0K ฿486.2K

185.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 110

$54.7 ฿1,778

153.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 CHF 37.24

$26.29 ฿854

78.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 CHF 105

$85.8 ฿2,788

53.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 CHF 127

$69.7 ฿2,265

129.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 CHF 1,022

$428 ฿13.9K

200.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 CHF 916

$239 ฿7,769

383.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,303 CHF 1,826

$811 ฿26.4K

183.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 CHF 1,444

$510 ฿16.6K

257.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.2K CHF 8,071

$2,025 ฿65.8K

402.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,232 CHF 6,529

$1,502 ฿48.8K

448.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,807 CHF 6,191

$623 ฿20.2K

1153.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.88

-62.40%

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

Last update for Biel: June 16, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,289 in Biel versus $428 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 1154% higher in Biel, 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 $109 in Biel versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $670 vs $242 – 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

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

Yes – Biel is pricier by about 268%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,679 per month in Biel and $1,272 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.

Public transport costs about 487% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,933 per month in Biel and $303 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $848, than in Biel at $3,120. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Biel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Biel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.