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 $3,537 in Biasca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $5,163 in Biasca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $6,789 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

$1.96 ฿64.0

$22.39 CHF 17.71

-91.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$62.2 CHF 49.21

-69.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$12.49 CHF 9.88

-36.59%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$4.23 CHF 3.35

-54.85%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$6.07 CHF 4.80

-86.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$5.39 CHF 4.27

-93.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$10.57 CHF 8.36

-79.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$7.35 CHF 5.81

-48.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.28 CHF 1.80

-28.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$4.02 CHF 3.18

-59.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$5.26 CHF 4.16

-77.57%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$7.62 CHF 6.03

-73.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$28.76 CHF 22.75

-44.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$36.37 CHF 28.77

-91.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$44.18 CHF 34.95

-75.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.82 CHF 3.02

-31.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.09 CHF 1.65

-41.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.86 CHF 2.26

-40.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$7.33 CHF 5.80

-78.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$2.22 CHF 1.76

-40.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$2.44 CHF 1.93

-52.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$2.58 CHF 2.04

-74.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.67 CHF 1.32

-66.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$10.25 CHF 8.11

-55.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$18.90 CHF 14.95

-3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$4.13 CHF 3.26

-55.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$4.26 CHF 3.37

-24.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$3.81 CHF 3.01

-76.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$99.0 CHF 78.3

-80.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$8.85 CHF 7.00

-84.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$5.41 CHF 4.28

-75.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$88.6 CHF 70.1

-90.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$2.23 CHF 1.77

-43.05%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$41.0K CHF 32.4K

-48.42%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$42.5K CHF 33.6K

-47.03%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$293 CHF 232

-76.09%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$69.4 CHF 54.9

-80.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$58.3 CHF 46.11

-69.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$87.1 CHF 68.9

-52.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$23.48 CHF 18.57

-75.38%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$3,980 CHF 3,148

-92.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$40.7K CHF 32.2K

-63.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$109 CHF 86.2

-50.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$54.0 CHF 42.71

-51.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$154 CHF 122

-45.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$191 CHF 151

-63.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$1,686 CHF 1,333

-74.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$1,439 CHF 1,139

-83.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$2,861 CHF 2,263

-71.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$2,454 CHF 1,941

-79.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$13.6K CHF 10.7K

-84.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$9,763 CHF 7,722

-84.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Biasca: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $1,686 in Biasca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $62.0 in Biasca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $704 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 315% in total monthly costs ($852 vs $3,537 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,278 in Chiang Mai and $5,306 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: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $1,686 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 $3,537 in Biasca – a 315% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 411% 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 $3,537 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 315% less than in Biasca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.