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 $3,553 per month in Brissago vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,342 per month in Brissago vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,131 per month in Brissago vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Brissago costs about 309% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Brissago sits 164% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.28 CHF 22.60

$1.98 ฿65.0

1328.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 CHF 87.0

$18.80 ฿619

478.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.98 CHF 13.57

$7.75 ฿255

119.10%

Cappuccino

$5.84 CHF 4.67

$1.92 ฿63.2

204.17%

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

$4.95 CHF 3.96

$0.79 ฿26.07

526.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 CHF 3.82

$0.36 ฿11.74

1227.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.35 CHF 6.67

$2.21 ฿72.9

277.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.33 CHF 5.06

$3.66 ฿120

72.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.76

$1.65 ฿54.4

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 CHF 2.72

$1.63 ฿53.7

108.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.14 CHF 3.31

$1.19 ฿39.28

247.90%

Eggs

$7.09 CHF 5.66

$2.00 ฿65.8

254.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.60 CHF 22.86

$15.98 ฿526

78.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.43 CHF 28.32

$3.03 ฿99.6

1069.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.68 CHF 33.31

$10.86 ฿357

283.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 CHF 2.72

$2.76 ฿90.9

23.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 CHF 1.73

$1.18 ฿38.83

83.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 CHF 2.30

$1.64 ฿54.0

75.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 CHF 5.39

$1.52 ฿50.0

343.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 CHF 1.78

$1.38 ฿45.59

61.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.75

$1.19 ฿39.25

84.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 CHF 1.94

$0.70 ฿23.11

245.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CHF 0.92

$0.56 ฿18.32

105.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.42 CHF 9.12

$4.58 ฿151

149.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.67 CHF 10.13

$16.56 ฿545

-23.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CHF 1.52

$1.83 ฿60.2

3.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 CHF 1.85

$3.20 ฿105

-27.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.90 CHF 3.11

$0.88 ฿28.87

343.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 CHF 80.3

$18.72 ฿616

436.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.23 CHF 6.58

$1.36 ฿44.64

505.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.24 CHF 3.39

$1.34 ฿44.12

216.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$93.9 CHF 75.1

$7.84 ฿258

1097.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.76

$1.23 ฿40.35

78.86%

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

$40.8K CHF 32.6K

$21.6K ฿711.8K

88.56%

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

$58.1K CHF 46.4K

$22.5K ฿742.2K

157.68%

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

$366 CHF 292

$70.5 ฿2,322

418.49%

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

$59.7 CHF 47.75

$13.68 ฿450

336.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 46.14

$17.45 ฿574

230.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.9 CHF 70.2

$41.33 ฿1,361

112.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

Cinema Ticket

$24.89 CHF 19.90

$5.77 ฿190

331.37%

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

$3,384 CHF 2,705

$307 ฿10.1K

1002.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.1K CHF 32.0K

$14.6K ฿481.0K

174.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$154 CHF 123

$55.8 ฿1,837

175.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.8 CHF 54.2

$26.21 ฿863

158.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$173 CHF 138

$85.8 ฿2,823

101.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$186 CHF 149

$72.2 ฿2,378

157.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,725 CHF 1,379

$430 ฿14.1K

301.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 CHF 1,185

$239 ฿7,857

521.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,877 CHF 2,300

$817 ฿26.9K

252.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 CHF 2,005

$511 ฿16.8K

391.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.8K CHF 14.2K

$1,983 ฿65.3K

798.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.3K CHF 9,825

$1,484 ฿48.9K

728.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,725 in Brissago versus $430 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $638 vs $241 – 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: $3,553 in Brissago, $869 in Chiang Mai – roughly 309% apart. Brissago costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,330 per month in Brissago and $1,303 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 165% 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 $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 $869, than in Brissago at $3,553. 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 $869 in Chiang Mai to $3,553 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.