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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,304 in Giubiasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,279 in Giubiasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $7,254 in Giubiasco, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 74% cheaper than Giubiasco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Giubiasco is 147% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$31.22 CHF 24.70

-93.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$169 CHF 134

-88.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$18.78 CHF 14.85

-57.83%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$4.34 CHF 3.43

-55.99%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$4.96 CHF 3.92

-83.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$4.09 CHF 3.23

-91.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$7.49 CHF 5.93

-70.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$7.59 CHF 6.00

-49.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.26 CHF 1.78

-27.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$3.49 CHF 2.76

-53.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$4.78 CHF 3.78

-75.31%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$6.98 CHF 5.52

-71.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$26.71 CHF 21.13

-40.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$36.08 CHF 28.54

-91.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$44.09 CHF 34.87

-75.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.18 CHF 2.51

-17.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.93 CHF 1.53

-36.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.78 CHF 2.20

-38.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$7.19 CHF 5.69

-78.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$2.21 CHF 1.75

-40.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$2.29 CHF 1.81

-48.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$2.61 CHF 2.07

-74.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.69 CHF 1.34

-66.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$10.28 CHF 8.13

-55.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$12.97 CHF 10.26

40.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$3.74 CHF 2.96

-51.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$4.19 CHF 3.32

-22.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$3.83 CHF 3.03

-76.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$100.0 CHF 79.1

-80.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$6.79 CHF 5.37

-80.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$4.33 CHF 3.42

-68.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$61.8 CHF 48.89

-86.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$2.23 CHF 1.76

-43.05%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$40.9K CHF 32.3K

-48.22%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$37.7K CHF 29.8K

-40.28%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$203 CHF 161

-65.46%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$69.4 CHF 54.9

-80.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$54.5 CHF 43.12

-67.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$88.4 CHF 69.9

-52.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$18.49 CHF 14.63

-68.74%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$1,247 CHF 986

-75.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$34.4K CHF 27.2K

-56.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$107 CHF 84.6

-49.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$48.41 CHF 38.29

-46.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$132 CHF 105

-36.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$150 CHF 119

-53.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$1,679 CHF 1,328

-74.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$1,440 CHF 1,139

-83.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$2,881 CHF 2,279

-71.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$2,468 CHF 1,952

-79.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$15.8K CHF 12.5K

-87.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$10.7K CHF 8,437

-85.72%

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 Giubiasco: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $1,679 in Giubiasco. 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 $169 in Giubiasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $667 – 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 Giubiasco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Giubiasco costs about 288% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,955 in Giubiasco. 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,247 in Giubiasco. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 174% more in Giubiasco, 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 Giubiasco at $3,304. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Giubiasco it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $3,304 in Giubiasco. 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, Giubiasco makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.