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: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $3,416 in Biasca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $5,075 in Biasca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $6,733 in Biasca.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 73% less than in Biasca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 32% below, Biasca is 150% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$22.47 CHF 18.46

-90.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$62.2 CHF 51.2

-68.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$12.17 CHF 10.00

-53.41%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$4.25 CHF 3.49

-57.41%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$6.54 CHF 5.37

-88.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$6.27 CHF 5.16

-94.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$9.86 CHF 8.10

-77.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$7.87 CHF 6.47

-51.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$2.20 CHF 1.81

-6.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$4.02 CHF 3.31

-62.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$4.24 CHF 3.48

-66.98%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$8.06 CHF 6.62

-71.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$28.00 CHF 23.01

-42.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$32.27 CHF 26.52

-91.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$43.05 CHF 35.38

-78.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$3.65 CHF 3.00

-26.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$2.07 CHF 1.70

-47.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$2.87 CHF 2.36

-43.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$5.38 CHF 4.42

-72.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$2.08 CHF 1.71

-38.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$2.18 CHF 1.79

-51.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$2.46 CHF 2.02

-70.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$1.36 CHF 1.11

-61.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$10.28 CHF 8.45

-58.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$18.82 CHF 15.46

-2.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$3.07 CHF 2.52

-46.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$4.13 CHF 3.39

-29.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$4.43 CHF 3.64

-80.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$101 CHF 82.7

-46.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$8.89 CHF 7.30

-86.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$6.15 CHF 5.06

-90.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$80.6 CHF 66.2

-97.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$2.21 CHF 1.82

-34.39%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$43.3K CHF 35.6K

-51.50%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$39.6K CHF 32.6K

-33.29%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$231 CHF 190

-72.45%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$41.24 CHF 33.89

-68.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$63.2 CHF 51.9

-67.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$91.7 CHF 75.4

-57.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$46.52 CHF 38.23

-91.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$24.51 CHF 20.14

-73.15%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$4,374 CHF 3,594

-82.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$35.7K CHF 29.3K

-58.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$171 CHF 140

-67.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$70.9 CHF 58.3

-65.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$191 CHF 157

-50.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$282 CHF 232

-73.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$1,748 CHF 1,436

-71.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$1,487 CHF 1,222

-80.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$2,950 CHF 2,424

-69.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$2,540 CHF 2,088

-79.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$16.7K CHF 13.7K

-88.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$12.2K CHF 10.0K

-88.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

1.9

193.16%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Biasca: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $1,748 in Biasca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $62.0 in Biasca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $653 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 266% in total monthly costs ($932 vs $3,416 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,398 in Chiang Mai and $5,124 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $1,748 in Biasca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $932 per month in Chiang Mai versus $3,416 in Biasca – a 266% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 87% less than in Biasca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $3,416 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 266% less than in Biasca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.