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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,476 in Altstätten, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,340 in Altstätten, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $7,204 in Altstätten, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 73% cheaper than Altstätten, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Altstätten is 152% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$30.42 CHF 24.82

-93.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$123 CHF 100

-83.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$18.73 CHF 15.28

-69.09%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$6.06 CHF 4.95

-69.80%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$5.37 CHF 4.38

-85.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$4.84 CHF 3.95

-93.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$8.99 CHF 7.34

-73.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$7.54 CHF 6.16

-50.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$2.21 CHF 1.80

-8.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$3.84 CHF 3.13

-58.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$3.74 CHF 3.05

-62.03%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$7.88 CHF 6.43

-72.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$26.34 CHF 21.50

-39.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$27.99 CHF 22.84

-89.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$41.69 CHF 34.02

-76.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$3.51 CHF 2.86

-25.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$2.01 CHF 1.64

-45.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$2.79 CHF 2.28

-41.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$4.98 CHF 4.06

-69.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.90 CHF 1.55

-34.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$2.22 CHF 1.82

-49.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$2.27 CHF 1.86

-67.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$1.32 CHF 1.08

-62.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$11.11 CHF 9.06

-61.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$13.26 CHF 10.82

35.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$2.74 CHF 2.23

-37.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$3.19 CHF 2.61

-9.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$4.06 CHF 3.31

-76.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$107 CHF 87.1

-48.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$8.72 CHF 7.11

-85.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$4.20 CHF 3.43

-87.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$88.8 CHF 72.5

-97.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.98 CHF 1.61

-27.27%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$46.8K CHF 38.2K

-54.75%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$34.3K CHF 28.0K

-20.29%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$315 CHF 257

-79.36%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$30.15 CHF 24.60

-55.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$66.1 CHF 54.0

-68.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$100 CHF 82.0

-59.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$46.16 CHF 37.67

-91.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$23.47 CHF 19.15

-71.41%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$3,112 CHF 2,540

-74.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$30.6K CHF 25.0K

-50.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$135 CHF 110

-58.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$53.7 CHF 43.83

-53.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$174 CHF 142

-46.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$212 CHF 173

-64.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$1,979 CHF 1,615

-75.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$1,405 CHF 1,146

-79.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$2,965 CHF 2,419

-69.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$2,428 CHF 1,981

-78.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$14.9K CHF 12.2K

-86.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$11.1K CHF 9,031

-86.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

2.07

169.08%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Altstätten: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $1,979 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $123 in Altstätten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $598 – 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

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

Yes – Altstätten is pricier by about 266%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $5,214 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $950 in Chiang Mai and $3,476 in Altstätten. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 93% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Altstätten at $3,476. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Altstätten it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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 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, Altstätten makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.