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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,519 per month in Brissago vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,370 per month in Brissago vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,222 per month in Brissago vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Brissago costs about 315% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Brissago sits 163% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.31 CHF 23.15

$2.03 ฿68.4

1294.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$107 CHF 87.8

$18.71 ฿630

474.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.52 CHF 14.33

$7.84 ฿264

123.47%

Cappuccino

$5.91 CHF 4.83

$1.93 ฿64.9

206.22%

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

$4.93 CHF 4.03

$0.83 ฿28.00

493.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 CHF 3.77

$0.35 ฿11.80

1217.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.52 CHF 6.97

$2.22 ฿74.8

283.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.07 CHF 4.96

$3.79 ฿128

60.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.76

$1.65 ฿55.4

30.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 CHF 2.67

$1.55 ฿52.3

110.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.28 CHF 3.50

$1.18 ฿39.79

262.71%

Eggs

$6.97 CHF 5.70

$2.01 ฿67.9

246.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.90 CHF 22.81

$16.16 ฿544

72.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.31 CHF 28.87

$3.03 ฿102

1065.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.35 CHF 33.00

$10.84 ฿365

272.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 CHF 2.86

$2.68 ฿90.3

30.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 CHF 1.75

$1.22 ฿41.14

75.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 CHF 2.26

$1.63 ฿54.8

69.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.95 CHF 5.68

$1.53 ฿51.5

354.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 CHF 1.82

$1.34 ฿45.10

65.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 CHF 1.78

$1.21 ฿40.86

80.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CHF 2.07

$0.70 ฿23.63

261.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CHF 0.93

$0.53 ฿17.70

115.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.22 CHF 9.18

$4.69 ฿158

139.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.54 CHF 10.25

$17.71 ฿597

-29.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 CHF 1.55

$1.85 ฿62.2

2.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 CHF 1.94

$3.21 ฿108

-26.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.98 CHF 3.25

$0.89 ฿30.01

347.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.2 CHF 80.3

$18.76 ฿632

423.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.85 CHF 6.42

$1.41 ฿47.40

456.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.26 CHF 3.48

$1.29 ฿43.52

230.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$92.2 CHF 75.4

$7.79 ฿262

1083.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.83

$1.29 ฿43.59

73.64%

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

$41.1K CHF 33.6K

$21.8K ฿733.4K

88.89%

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

$57.8K CHF 47.3K

$21.7K ฿730.7K

166.70%

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

$377 CHF 309

$70.0 ฿2,358

439.17%

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

$59.8 CHF 48.86

$14.19 ฿478

321.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.8 CHF 48.06

$17.42 ฿587

237.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.7 CHF 70.9

$41.64 ฿1,403

108.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿232

Cinema Ticket

$24.90 CHF 20.36

$5.78 ฿195

330.80%

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

$3,373 CHF 2,758

$300 ฿10.1K

1025.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.3K CHF 33.0K

$14.5K ฿489.2K

177.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$153 CHF 125

$55.4 ฿1,865

175.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.2 CHF 55.7

$26.31 ฿886

159.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$172 CHF 141

$84.8 ฿2,858

102.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 151

$70.5 ฿2,375

161.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,695 CHF 1,386

$425 ฿14.3K

298.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,460 CHF 1,194

$235 ฿7,919

521.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,800 CHF 2,290

$802 ฿27.0K

249.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 CHF 2,015

$516 ฿17.4K

377.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.5K CHF 11.9K

$1,926 ฿64.9K

654.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.7K CHF 11.2K

$1,451 ฿48.9K

845.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

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 Brissago: July 22, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,695 in Brissago versus $425 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $107 in Brissago versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $631 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,519 in Brissago, $847 in Chiang Mai – roughly 315% apart. Brissago costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,278 per month in Brissago and $1,271 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.

Groceries cost about 160% more in Brissago, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $107 in Brissago and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $847, than in Brissago at $3,519. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brissago 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 $847 in Chiang Mai to $3,519 in Brissago. 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, Brissago makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.