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 $3,439 per month in Brissago vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,269 per month in Brissago vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,099 per month in Brissago vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Brissago costs about 262% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Brissago sits 149% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.99 CHF 23.57

$2.10 ฿69.5

1280.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$125 CHF 102

$19.84 ฿657

531.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.90 CHF 12.93

$5.79 ฿192

174.61%

Cappuccino

$7.03 CHF 5.71

$1.83 ฿60.6

284.15%

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

$6.48 CHF 5.27

$0.78 ฿25.67

730.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.16 CHF 5.83

$0.31 ฿10.40

2209.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.00 CHF 7.32

$2.34 ฿77.4

284.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 CHF 6.61

$3.70 ฿123

119.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.78

$2.03 ฿67.2

7.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 CHF 2.53

$1.60 ฿52.9

95.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 CHF 2.74

$1.42 ฿46.87

137.32%

Eggs

$7.84 CHF 6.37

$2.18 ฿72.1

259.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.38 CHF 20.63

$15.91 ฿527

59.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.91 CHF 24.32

$3.07 ฿102

874.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.53 CHF 32.14

$9.87 ฿327

300.51%

Apples (1kg)

$4.06 CHF 3.30

$2.63 ฿87.0

54.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 CHF 1.72

$1.10 ฿36.28

91.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 CHF 2.20

$1.63 ฿54.0

66.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 CHF 3.86

$1.53 ฿50.7

209.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 CHF 1.37

$1.24 ฿41.23

36.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.71

$1.13 ฿37.46

85.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 CHF 1.90

$0.74 ฿24.44

216.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.11

$0.50 ฿16.52

172.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 CHF 9.34

$4.28 ฿142

168.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.43 CHF 10.11

$17.97 ฿595

-30.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 CHF 1.81

$1.70 ฿56.2

31.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 CHF 2.39

$2.90 ฿95.9

1.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.20 CHF 3.42

$0.94 ฿31.20

346.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$115 CHF 93.4

$55.3 ฿1,831

107.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.35 CHF 6.79

$1.23 ฿40.86

578.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.64 CHF 3.77

$0.53 ฿17.70

775.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$110 CHF 89.3

$2.40 ฿79.5

4476.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.40 CHF 1.95

$1.44 ฿47.67

66.67%

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

$43.4K CHF 35.3K

$21.2K ฿701.9K

104.84%

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

$40.7K CHF 33.1K

$27.3K ฿904.3K

49.24%

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

$284 CHF 231

$64.9 ฿2,150

337.92%

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

$28.87 CHF 23.48

$13.35 ฿442

116.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.1 CHF 46.46

$20.83 ฿690

174.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.3 CHF 65.3

$40.42 ฿1,339

98.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$51.5 CHF 41.83

$3.95 ฿131

1202.53%

Cinema Ticket

$24.32 CHF 19.77

$6.71 ฿222

262.44%

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

$3,193 CHF 2,596

$787 ฿26.1K

305.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K CHF 25.9K

$15.1K ฿500.8K

110.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$142 CHF 115

$56.2 ฿1,862

152.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.0 CHF 50.4

$24.95 ฿826

148.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$162 CHF 132

$92.7 ฿3,070

74.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$200 CHF 163

$75.1 ฿2,488

166.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 CHF 1,300

$484 ฿16.0K

230.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 CHF 1,170

$287 ฿9,514

401.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,039 CHF 2,471

$910 ฿30.1K

234.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,282 CHF 1,856

$531 ฿17.6K

330.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.6K CHF 15.1K

$1,980 ฿65.6K

839.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.4K CHF 9,245

$1,451 ฿48.1K

683.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.46

5.57

-55.83%

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

Last update for Brissago: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,599 in Brissago versus $484 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 $125 in Brissago versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $587 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: $3,439 in Brissago, $950 in Chiang Mai – roughly 262% apart. Brissago costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,158 per month in Brissago and $1,426 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 142% 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 $125 in Brissago and $20.00 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 $950, than in Brissago at $3,439. 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 $950 in Chiang Mai to $3,439 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.