Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Hirschthal

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $3,673 in Hirschthal, rent and utilities included – about $33,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
177

Cost of Living Index in Hirschthal
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Hirschthal Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Hirschthal

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,673

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Hirschthal

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Hirschthal actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,673 in Hirschthal, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Hirschthal $3,673

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,742 in Hirschthal, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Hirschthal $5,742

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $7,812 in Hirschthal, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Hirschthal $7,812

Chiang Mai is about 75% cheaper than Hirschthal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Hirschthal is 171% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$36.24 CHF 29.85

-93.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$176 CHF 145

-88.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$23.96 CHF 19.74

-76.59%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$6.95 CHF 5.73

-76.12%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$6.11 CHF 5.03

-88.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$6.23 CHF 5.13

-95.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$9.63 CHF 7.93

-74.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$7.35 CHF 6.05

-49.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$2.26 CHF 1.86

-13.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$3.98 CHF 3.28

-64.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$4.23 CHF 3.48

-69.03%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$7.71 CHF 6.35

-71.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$27.51 CHF 22.66

-39.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$30.52 CHF 25.13

-90.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$41.95 CHF 34.55

-78.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$3.70 CHF 3.05

-35.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.94 CHF 1.60

-46.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$2.71 CHF 2.23

-39.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$5.37 CHF 4.42

-72.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$1.95 CHF 1.61

-33.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$2.12 CHF 1.75

-47.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$2.39 CHF 1.97

-69.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$1.36 CHF 1.12

-61.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$11.03 CHF 9.09

-60.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$17.80 CHF 14.66

0.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$2.97 CHF 2.45

-46.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$3.82 CHF 3.14

-25.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$4.73 CHF 3.90

-81.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$94.7 CHF 78.0

-43.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$8.86 CHF 7.30

-86.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$6.12 CHF 5.04

-90.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$36.88 CHF 30.37

-93.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$2.28 CHF 1.88

-36.84%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$38.9K CHF 32.1K

-46.74%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$38.5K CHF 31.7K

-30.48%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$278 CHF 229

-77.59%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$37.24 CHF 30.67

-67.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$63.7 CHF 52.5

-68.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$97.2 CHF 80.0

-61.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$40.41 CHF 33.29

-90.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$23.29 CHF 19.18

-72.09%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$4,262 CHF 3,510

-81.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$35.2K CHF 29.0K

-57.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$167 CHF 138

-67.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$67.5 CHF 55.6

-63.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$154 CHF 127

-40.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$266 CHF 219

-73.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$1,983 CHF 1,633

-77.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$1,512 CHF 1,245

-80.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$2,606 CHF 2,146

-65.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$2,605 CHF 2,145

-78.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$16.5K CHF 13.6K

-88.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$13.0K CHF 10.7K

-88.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

1.9

193.16%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Hirschthal: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Hirschthal

$1.5K 41.2% 408% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Hirschthal

$633 17.2% 169% $397

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Hirschthal

$295 8% 173% $187

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Hirschthal

$379 10.3% 302% $285

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Hirschthal

$557 15.2% 609% $479

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Hirschthal

$153 4.2% 152% $92

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Hirschthal

$144 3.9% 187% $94

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $1,983 in Hirschthal. 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 $176 in Hirschthal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $633 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇭 Hirschthal

🕒 Local time

00:03 12:03 AM

19:03 7:03 PM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

1,600

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Hirschthal 8,550 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Hirschthal

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Hirschthal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hirschthal costs about 297% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $5,510 in Hirschthal. 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 $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,262 in Hirschthal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 169% more in Hirschthal, 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 $925, than in Hirschthal at $3,673. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hirschthal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $3,673 in Hirschthal. 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, Hirschthal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.