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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,279 in Glarus, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,259 in Glarus, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $7,238 in Glarus, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Glarus is 145% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$30.52 CHF 24.07

-93.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$140 CHF 111

-86.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$16.28 CHF 12.84

-51.97%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$5.87 CHF 4.63

-66.78%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$5.16 CHF 4.07

-83.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$4.41 CHF 3.48

-92.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$7.35 CHF 5.79

-71.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$7.23 CHF 5.70

-48.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.00 CHF 1.58

-14.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.76 CHF 2.18

-40.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.21 CHF 1.74

-48.42%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$7.98 CHF 6.29

-75.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$30.90 CHF 24.36

-47.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$35.70 CHF 28.14

-91.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$50.4 CHF 39.71

-78.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.68 CHF 2.90

-25.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.32 CHF 1.83

-47.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.87 CHF 2.26

-43.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$6.36 CHF 5.01

-75.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.46 CHF 1.94

-43.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.41 CHF 1.90

-51.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$2.67 CHF 2.10

-75.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.22 CHF 0.96

-56.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$11.14 CHF 8.78

-57.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$13.81 CHF 10.89

35.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.40 CHF 1.89

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.31 CHF 2.61

-2.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$6.01 CHF 4.74

-85.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$110 CHF 86.8

-82.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$8.28 CHF 6.52

-82.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$4.29 CHF 3.38

-69.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$88.5 CHF 69.8

-91.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$2.05 CHF 1.61

-38.05%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$35.1K CHF 27.7K

-39.42%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$39.3K CHF 31.0K

-43.52%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$225 CHF 177

-69.26%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$72.9 CHF 57.5

-80.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$49.82 CHF 39.28

-63.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$92.6 CHF 73.0

-55.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$43.93 CHF 34.64

-84.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$19.94 CHF 15.72

-70.31%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$2,938 CHF 2,317

-89.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$43.2K CHF 34.1K

-65.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$140 CHF 111

-61.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$78.3 CHF 61.7

-65.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$134 CHF 106

-36.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$157 CHF 124

-55.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$1,631 CHF 1,286

-73.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$1,328 CHF 1,047

-82.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$2,844 CHF 2,242

-71.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$2,349 CHF 1,852

-78.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$13.9K CHF 11.0K

-85.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$11.4K CHF 9,002

-87.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Glarus: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,631 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $140 in Glarus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $670 – 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 278% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,919 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,938 in Glarus. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 172% 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 $866, than in Glarus at $3,279. 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 $866 versus $3,279 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.