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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,391 in Glarus, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,074 in Glarus, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $6,758 in Glarus, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 72% cheaper than Glarus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Glarus is 146% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$29.50 CHF 24.07

-92.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$123 CHF 100

-83.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$17.68 CHF 14.43

-67.25%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$6.26 CHF 5.10

-70.77%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$3.82 CHF 3.12

-79.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$3.88 CHF 3.16

-92.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$9.50 CHF 7.75

-75.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$6.68 CHF 5.45

-44.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$2.16 CHF 1.76

-6.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$3.19 CHF 2.61

-49.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$2.93 CHF 2.39

-51.54%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$8.00 CHF 6.53

-72.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$8.67 CHF 7.08

83.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$14.91 CHF 12.17

-79.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$38.85 CHF 31.70

-74.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$3.17 CHF 2.58

-17.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.64 CHF 1.34

-32.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$2.45 CHF 2.00

-33.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$5.63 CHF 4.59

-72.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.78 CHF 1.45

-30.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$2.11 CHF 1.72

-46.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$2.25 CHF 1.84

-67.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$1.21 CHF 0.99

-58.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$11.06 CHF 9.02

-61.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$11.64 CHF 9.50

54.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$2.25 CHF 1.84

-24.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.32 CHF 1.90

25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$6.21 CHF 5.07

-84.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$233 CHF 190

-76.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$6.66 CHF 5.43

-81.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$4.75 CHF 3.88

-88.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$78.9 CHF 64.4

-96.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$2.12 CHF 1.73

-32.08%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$35.4K CHF 28.9K

-40.07%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$40.6K CHF 33.2K

-32.80%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$326 CHF 266

-80.06%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$39.21 CHF 32.00

-65.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$56.2 CHF 45.85

-62.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$167 CHF 137

-75.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$43.64 CHF 35.61

-90.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$25.58 CHF 20.88

-73.77%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$2,379 CHF 1,941

-66.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$32.9K CHF 26.9K

-54.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$104 CHF 84.5

-45.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$44.00 CHF 35.91

-43.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$136 CHF 111

-31.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$98.9 CHF 80.7

-24.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$1,695 CHF 1,384

-71.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$1,403 CHF 1,145

-79.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$3,048 CHF 2,487

-70.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$2,360 CHF 1,926

-77.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

2.1

165.24%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Glarus: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $1,695 in Glarus. 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 $123 in Glarus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $450 – 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 Glarus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Glarus costs about 257% 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $5,086 in Glarus. 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 $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,379 in Glarus. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 86% more in Glarus, 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 $950, than in Glarus at $3,391. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Glarus it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $3,391 in Glarus. 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, Glarus makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.