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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $3,509 in Biasca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $5,148 in Biasca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $6,787 in Biasca.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 76% less than in Biasca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 36% below, Biasca is 164% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.3

$21.86 CHF 17.71

-90.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿625

$60.8 CHF 49.22

-69.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$12.16 CHF 9.85

-35.36%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.8

$4.42 CHF 3.58

-54.07%

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

$0.80 ฿26.67

$6.21 CHF 5.03

-87.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.69

$5.48 CHF 4.44

-93.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.6

$10.46 CHF 8.47

-79.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$7.41 CHF 6.00

-50.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$2.29 CHF 1.85

-24.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$3.97 CHF 3.22

-60.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.04

$5.23 CHF 4.24

-77.06%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.9

$8.04 CHF 6.52

-75.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿542

$28.69 CHF 23.25

-43.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$35.37 CHF 28.66

-91.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$43.57 CHF 35.30

-75.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.5

$3.81 CHF 3.09

-27.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$2.10 CHF 1.70

-44.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.84 CHF 2.30

-39.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$7.13 CHF 5.78

-77.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.56

$2.33 CHF 1.89

-40.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.61

$2.50 CHF 2.03

-53.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.08

$2.64 CHF 2.14

-75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.33

$1.60 CHF 1.30

-67.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$10.25 CHF 8.30

-54.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿594

$18.13 CHF 14.69

-1.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.7

$4.05 CHF 3.28

-55.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$4.29 CHF 3.48

-22.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.30

$3.89 CHF 3.15

-76.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿623

$100 CHF 81.1

-81.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.10

$8.73 CHF 7.08

-83.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.76

$5.72 CHF 4.63

-76.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$88.1 CHF 71.4

-90.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.21

$2.15 CHF 1.74

-42.79%

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

$21.4K ฿715.9K

$40.4K CHF 32.7K

-46.95%

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

$21.8K ฿728.9K

$41.5K CHF 33.7K

-47.47%

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

$71.3 ฿2,382

$290 CHF 235

-75.36%

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

$14.01 ฿468

$68.1 CHF 55.2

-79.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿599

$58.6 CHF 47.47

-69.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,363

$87.0 CHF 70.5

-53.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$40.49 CHF 32.81

-83.01%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$23.57 CHF 19.10

-75.73%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$3,980 CHF 3,225

-92.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿490.3K

$41.4K CHF 33.6K

-64.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,863

$107 CHF 86.9

-47.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿870

$53.3 CHF 43.18

-51.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,833

$155 CHF 125

-45.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,371

$187 CHF 151

-61.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$1,702 CHF 1,380

-75.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,098

$1,476 CHF 1,196

-83.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$2,778 CHF 2,251

-71.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$2,452 CHF 1,987

-79.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.1K

$16.2K CHF 13.2K

-88.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.9K

$13.2K CHF 10.7K

-88.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

100.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Biasca: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $1,702 in Biasca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $61.0 in Biasca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $695 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 Biasca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Biasca differ by about 312% in total monthly costs ($852 vs $3,509 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,279 in Chiang Mai and $5,263 in Biasca to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,702 in Biasca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $852 per month in Chiang Mai versus $3,509 in Biasca – a 312% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 437% less than in Biasca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $3,509 in Biasca, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Biasca. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Biasca 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 312% less than in Biasca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.