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 $3,576 per month in Brissago vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,334 per month in Brissago vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,092 per month in Brissago vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Brissago costs about 323% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Brissago sits 167% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.74 CHF 21.74

$1.95 ฿62.8

1322.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 CHF 85.4

$18.43 ฿594

491.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.49 CHF 13.71

$7.50 ฿241

133.20%

Cappuccino

$5.87 CHF 4.60

$1.93 ฿62.3

204.15%

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

$4.81 CHF 3.77

$0.78 ฿25.08

516.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 CHF 3.74

$0.32 ฿10.42

1390.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 CHF 6.34

$2.15 ฿69.2

276.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 CHF 4.81

$3.71 ฿120

65.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.70

$1.71 ฿55.2

26.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CHF 2.66

$1.56 ฿50.3

117.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.24 CHF 3.32

$1.18 ฿38.06

259.32%

Eggs

$7.11 CHF 5.58

$1.98 ฿63.9

259.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.31 CHF 22.20

$16.04 ฿517

76.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.91 CHF 28.16

$3.17 ฿102

1032.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.48 CHF 31.73

$10.94 ฿353

270.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 CHF 2.73

$2.63 ฿84.7

32.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 CHF 1.69

$1.17 ฿37.61

83.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.26

$1.65 ฿53.0

75.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.89 CHF 5.40

$1.54 ฿49.51

347.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.76

$1.38 ฿44.34

62.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 CHF 1.76

$1.17 ฿37.54

92.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 CHF 1.90

$0.66 ฿21.25

266.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 CHF 0.86

$0.51 ฿16.55

115.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.39 CHF 8.93

$4.52 ฿146

151.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 CHF 9.96

$18.32 ฿590

-30.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 CHF 1.53

$1.80 ฿57.9

8.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.83

$3.18 ฿102

-26.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.93 CHF 3.08

$0.90 ฿28.97

336.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.0 CHF 77.6

$19.00 ฿612

421.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 CHF 6.34

$1.41 ฿45.50

473.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.32 CHF 3.39

$1.31 ฿42.15

229.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$91.7 CHF 71.9

$8.09 ฿261

1033.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.75

$1.28 ฿41.08

74.22%

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

$40.6K CHF 31.8K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

90.67%

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

$57.0K CHF 44.7K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

162.53%

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

$369 CHF 290

$69.2 ฿2,230

433.86%

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

$58.8 CHF 46.09

$13.97 ฿450

320.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CHF 45.54

$17.95 ฿578

223.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.2 CHF 68.4

$42.31 ฿1,363

106.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$24.20 CHF 18.97

$5.92 ฿191

308.78%

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

$3,287 CHF 2,577

$299 ฿9,640

998.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.9K CHF 31.3K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

168.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$153 CHF 120

$56.2 ฿1,810

172.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.7 CHF 53.8

$26.94 ฿868

154.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$177 CHF 139

$84.9 ฿2,735

108.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 CHF 147

$71.8 ฿2,314

160.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 CHF 1,343

$435 ฿14.0K

293.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 CHF 1,169

$240 ฿7,727

521.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,788 CHF 2,185

$798 ฿25.7K

249.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,495 CHF 1,956

$498 ฿16.1K

400.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K CHF 9,677

$1,995 ฿64.3K

518.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K CHF 9,357

$1,532 ฿49.4K

679.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,713 in Brissago versus $435 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 $109 in Brissago versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $637 vs $244 – 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: $3,576 in Brissago, $845 in Chiang Mai – roughly 323% apart. Brissago costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,364 per month in Brissago and $1,267 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 161% 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 $109 in Brissago and $18.00 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 $845, than in Brissago at $3,576. 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 $845 in Chiang Mai to $3,576 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.