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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $3,430 in Bern.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $5,248 in Bern.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $7,066 in Bern.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 75% less than in Bern, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 35% below, Bern is 156% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$27.70 CHF 21.86

-93.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$107 CHF 84.6

-82.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$17.47 CHF 13.79

-55.24%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$5.86 CHF 4.63

-66.72%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$4.83 CHF 3.81

-82.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$4.64 CHF 3.66

-92.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$8.38 CHF 6.62

-74.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$6.26 CHF 4.94

-40.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.22 CHF 1.75

-22.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$3.27 CHF 2.58

-50.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$4.15 CHF 3.27

-72.53%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$7.10 CHF 5.60

-72.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$27.95 CHF 22.06

-42.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$35.50 CHF 28.01

-91.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$41.05 CHF 32.39

-73.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.55 CHF 2.80

-22.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.20 CHF 1.74

-45.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.74 CHF 2.16

-40.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$6.99 CHF 5.51

-77.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.24 CHF 1.77

-37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.15 CHF 1.70

-45.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$2.42 CHF 1.91

-72.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.14 CHF 0.90

-53.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$11.39 CHF 8.99

-58.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$12.80 CHF 10.10

45.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.96 CHF 1.55

-8.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.35 CHF 1.86

37.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$3.59 CHF 2.83

-74.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$99.0 CHF 78.1

-80.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$7.86 CHF 6.20

-82.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$4.47 CHF 3.52

-71.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$90.9 CHF 71.7

-91.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$2.14 CHF 1.69

-40.65%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$40.6K CHF 32.0K

-47.56%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$56.6K CHF 44.7K

-60.77%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$367 CHF 290

-81.17%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$59.9 CHF 47.27

-76.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$59.0 CHF 46.55

-69.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$82.5 CHF 65.1

-50.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$47.41 CHF 37.42

-85.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$24.55 CHF 19.38

-75.89%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$3,417 CHF 2,697

-91.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

-62.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$149 CHF 118

-63.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$67.9 CHF 53.6

-60.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$177 CHF 140

-52.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$186 CHF 147

-62.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$1,853 CHF 1,463

-76.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$1,264 CHF 997

-81.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$3,301 CHF 2,606

-75.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$2,367 CHF 1,868

-78.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$16.3K CHF 12.8K

-87.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$12.8K CHF 10.1K

-88.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$7,193 CHF 5,676

-91.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.52

98.41%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bern: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $1,853 in Bern. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bern pays 1065% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $107 in Bern for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $636 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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 Bern: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 296% lower than in Bern. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Bern earns 1065% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,853 in Bern. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $107 in Bern. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Chiang Mai versus $3,430 in Bern – a 296% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $3,430 in Bern, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bern. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $866 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Bern are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 296% less than in Bern. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.