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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,579 in Dietikon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,417 in Dietikon, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $7,254 in Dietikon, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 76% cheaper than Dietikon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Dietikon is 169% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$31.18 CHF 25.16

-93.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$149 CHF 120

-87.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$18.50 CHF 14.93

-57.51%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$6.36 CHF 5.13

-68.08%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$5.87 CHF 4.74

-86.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$5.28 CHF 4.26

-93.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$7.70 CHF 6.21

-72.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$6.96 CHF 5.61

-47.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$2.30 CHF 1.86

-24.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$2.60 CHF 2.10

-39.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$3.66 CHF 2.95

-67.21%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$8.20 CHF 6.62

-75.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$27.87 CHF 22.49

-41.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$32.54 CHF 26.26

-90.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$41.87 CHF 33.79

-74.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.14 CHF 2.53

-11.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.84 CHF 1.48

-36.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.44 CHF 1.97

-29.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$7.04 CHF 5.68

-77.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$2.48 CHF 2.00

-43.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$2.32 CHF 1.87

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$2.61 CHF 2.10

-74.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.09 CHF 0.88

-52.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$10.76 CHF 8.68

-56.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$10.45 CHF 8.43

70.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.19 CHF 1.77

-18.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.32 CHF 1.88

43.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$3.85 CHF 3.11

-76.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$99.4 CHF 80.2

-81.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$6.77 CHF 5.46

-79.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$4.16 CHF 3.36

-67.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$80.2 CHF 64.7

-89.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$2.15 CHF 1.73

-42.79%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$40.5K CHF 32.7K

-47.13%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$42.3K CHF 34.1K

-48.38%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$334 CHF 269

-78.62%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$60.2 CHF 48.57

-76.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$53.6 CHF 43.23

-66.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$88.3 CHF 71.3

-53.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$51.2 CHF 41.33

-86.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$31.27 CHF 25.23

-81.71%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$2,859 CHF 2,307

-89.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$35.0K CHF 28.3K

-58.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$148 CHF 119

-62.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$65.2 CHF 52.6

-60.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$158 CHF 127

-46.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$236 CHF 190

-69.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$1,700 CHF 1,372

-75.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$1,490 CHF 1,202

-83.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$2,780 CHF 2,244

-71.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$2,470 CHF 1,993

-79.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$13.6K CHF 11.0K

-85.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$12.1K CHF 9,775

-87.91%

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 Dietikon: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,700 in Dietikon. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $149 in Dietikon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $612 – 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 Dietikon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dietikon costs about 320% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $5,369 in Dietikon. 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.

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,859 in Dietikon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 151% more in Dietikon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Dietikon at $3,579. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dietikon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $3,579 in Dietikon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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