Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Altstätten

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $3,740 in Altstätten, rent and utilities included – about $33,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
171

Cost of Living Index in Altstätten
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Altstätten Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Altstätten

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,740

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Altstätten

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Altstätten actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,740 in Altstätten, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Altstätten $3,740

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,258 in Altstätten, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Altstätten $5,258

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $6,776 in Altstätten, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Altstätten $6,776

Chiang Mai is about 75% cheaper than Altstätten, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Altstätten is 177% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.4

$30.38 CHF 24.77

-92.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿623

$121 CHF 98.8

-84.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿187

$18.27 CHF 14.90

-69.35%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$6.23 CHF 5.08

-73.35%

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

$0.65 ฿21.63

$5.40 CHF 4.40

-87.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.20

$4.96 CHF 4.05

-93.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿77.7

$9.25 CHF 7.54

-74.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$7.50 CHF 6.12

-51.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.4

$2.19 CHF 1.78

-7.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.08

$3.63 CHF 2.96

-61.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.54

$3.69 CHF 3.01

-62.33%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.2

$7.92 CHF 6.46

-70.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿552

$26.62 CHF 21.71

-37.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.3

$28.09 CHF 22.91

-90.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿302

$40.58 CHF 33.09

-77.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.2

$3.50 CHF 2.86

-31.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.82

$2.05 CHF 1.67

-49.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.5

$2.73 CHF 2.23

-39.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.1

$4.81 CHF 3.93

-67.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.39

$1.80 CHF 1.47

-31.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.34

$2.24 CHF 1.83

-51.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.47

$2.43 CHF 1.98

-68.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.19

$1.26 CHF 1.03

-59.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$10.83 CHF 8.83

-61.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿600

$12.24 CHF 9.98

46.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.3

$2.82 CHF 2.30

-42.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.4

$3.09 CHF 2.52

-8.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.25

$4.32 CHF 3.52

-78.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,769

$99.1 CHF 80.8

-46.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.35

$7.50 CHF 6.11

-84.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.73

$4.18 CHF 3.41

-95.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.6

$72.6 CHF 59.2

-97.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.25

$2.35 CHF 1.92

-37.45%

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

$21.0K ฿702.6K

$42.1K CHF 34.3K

-50.08%

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

$26.5K ฿886.7K

$38.9K CHF 31.7K

-31.88%

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

$62.6 ฿2,092

$256 CHF 209

-75.54%

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

$11.60 ฿388

$30.76 CHF 25.08

-62.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿679

$58.5 CHF 47.70

-65.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,267

$75.6 CHF 61.7

-49.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$43.38 CHF 35.37

-91.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿218

$20.89 CHF 17.04

-68.84%

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

$727 ฿24.3K

$2,539 CHF 2,071

-71.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿554.2K

$34.3K CHF 28.0K

-51.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,790

$134 CHF 110

-60.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿829

$71.0 CHF 57.9

-65.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,023

$165 CHF 135

-45.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,407

$193 CHF 158

-62.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.1K

$1,720 CHF 1,403

-72.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$1,812 CHF 1,478

-82.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.4K

$2,810 CHF 2,291

-62.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.0K

$2,294 CHF 1,871

-71.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿80.8K

$15.8K CHF 12.9K

-84.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿53.8K

$11.8K CHF 9,587

-86.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

2.03

174.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Altstätten: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Altstätten

$1.8K 48.5% 485% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Altstätten

$591 15.8% 150% $354

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Altstätten

$254 6.8% 134% $145

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Altstätten

$345 9.2% 265% $251

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Altstätten

$475 12.7% 521% $399

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Altstätten

$145 3.9% 147% $86

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Altstätten

$117 3.1% 131% $67

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $1,720 in Altstätten. 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 $19 in Chiang Mai versus $121 in Altstätten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $591 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇭 Altstätten

🕒 Local time

09:10 9:10 AM

03:10 3:10 AM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

11,145

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 CHF = 1.23 USD

1 CHF = 1.09 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.44 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.54 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.815 CHF (1 CHF = 1.23 USD). 1 EUR = 0.915 CHF (1 CHF = 1.09 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Altstätten 8,440 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Altstätten

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Yes – Altstätten is pricier by about 300%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $5,610 in Altstätten. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $481 there versus $1,720 in Altstätten.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $935 in Chiang Mai and $3,740 in Altstätten. That makes Chiang Mai about 75% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 47% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $3,740 in Altstätten. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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 cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Chiang Mai is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 75% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.