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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,514 in Brissago, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,255 in Brissago, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $6,996 in Brissago, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Brissago is 157% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$28.71 CHF 23.59

-92.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$124 CHF 102

-84.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$16.22 CHF 13.33

-65.04%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$6.96 CHF 5.72

-73.99%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$6.30 CHF 5.18

-87.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$7.32 CHF 6.01

-95.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$9.01 CHF 7.41

-75.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$7.82 CHF 6.43

-51.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$2.27 CHF 1.86

-9.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$3.06 CHF 2.52

-50.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$3.20 CHF 2.63

-56.25%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$8.07 CHF 6.63

-72.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$24.78 CHF 20.37

-34.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$30.43 CHF 25.01

-90.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$39.50 CHF 32.46

-76.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$4.09 CHF 3.36

-34.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$2.13 CHF 1.75

-48.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$2.75 CHF 2.26

-41.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$4.82 CHF 3.96

-69.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$1.66 CHF 1.36

-22.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$2.04 CHF 1.68

-48.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$2.23 CHF 1.83

-67.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$1.37 CHF 1.13

-61.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$11.63 CHF 9.56

-63.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$12.51 CHF 10.28

46.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$2.31 CHF 1.89

-29.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.98 CHF 2.45

-2.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$4.61 CHF 3.79

-80.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$100 CHF 82.2

-46.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$8.30 CHF 6.82

-85.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$4.80 CHF 3.94

-87.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$109 CHF 89.9

-97.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$2.35 CHF 1.93

-38.30%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$43.7K CHF 35.9K

-51.91%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$39.5K CHF 32.4K

-33.02%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$277 CHF 227

-76.98%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$28.18 CHF 23.16

-54.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$57.0 CHF 46.87

-64.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$90.8 CHF 74.6

-57.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$47.31 CHF 38.88

-91.71%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$24.26 CHF 19.93

-72.88%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$3,156 CHF 2,594

-75.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$31.1K CHF 25.5K

-52.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$145 CHF 119

-62.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$61.5 CHF 50.5

-59.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$160 CHF 132

-41.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$197 CHF 162

-62.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$1,722 CHF 1,415

-71.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$1,503 CHF 1,235

-80.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$2,911 CHF 2,393

-69.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$2,561 CHF 2,105

-79.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$16.4K CHF 13.5K

-87.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$12.1K CHF 9,983

-88.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

2.46

126.42%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Brissago: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $1,722 in Brissago. 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 $124 in Brissago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $589 – 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 Brissago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai, $3,514 in Brissago – roughly 277% apart. Brissago costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $5,271 in Brissago. 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.

Groceries cost about 144% more in Brissago, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $124 in Brissago. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Brissago at $3,514. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brissago it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $932 in Chiang Mai to $3,514 in Brissago. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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