Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kreuzlingen

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $3,474 in Kreuzlingen, rent and utilities included – about $30,400 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
169

Cost of Living Index in Kreuzlingen
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Kreuzlingen Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Kreuzlingen

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,474

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Kreuzlingen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,474 in Kreuzlingen, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Kreuzlingen $3,474

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,386 in Kreuzlingen, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Kreuzlingen $5,386

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $7,298 in Kreuzlingen, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Kreuzlingen $7,298

Chiang Mai is about 73% cheaper than Kreuzlingen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 30% below the global median, while Kreuzlingen is 157% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$36.25 CHF 29.86

-93.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$175 CHF 144

-89.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$23.78 CHF 19.59

-76.49%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$6.95 CHF 5.72

-75.25%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$6.13 CHF 5.05

-89.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$5.99 CHF 4.93

-94.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

$9.73 CHF 8.02

-75.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

$7.30 CHF 6.01

-46.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$2.14 CHF 1.76

-4.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$4.03 CHF 3.32

-65.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$4.17 CHF 3.43

-69.30%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$7.73 CHF 6.36

-70.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$18.09 CHF 14.90

-6.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$26.69 CHF 21.98

-89.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$30.23 CHF 24.89

-69.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$3.65 CHF 3.01

-34.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$2.02 CHF 1.66

-50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$2.75 CHF 2.27

-41.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$5.49 CHF 4.53

-72.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$1.95 CHF 1.61

-34.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$2.12 CHF 1.74

-47.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$2.36 CHF 1.94

-69.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$1.32 CHF 1.09

-60.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$10.89 CHF 8.97

-60.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

$17.86 CHF 14.71

-0.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$2.86 CHF 2.35

-43.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$3.84 CHF 3.16

-25.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$4.59 CHF 3.78

-81.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$97.4 CHF 80.2

-44.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$8.60 CHF 7.08

-86.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$4.78 CHF 3.93

-88.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$104 CHF 85.5

-97.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$2.09 CHF 1.72

-30.62%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$41.6K CHF 34.3K

-50.79%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$39.7K CHF 32.7K

-33.22%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$281 CHF 232

-77.85%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$38.22 CHF 31.48

-67.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$59.3 CHF 48.81

-66.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$91.1 CHF 75.0

-58.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

$44.52 CHF 36.67

-91.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$23.88 CHF 19.67

-71.90%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

$4,144 CHF 3,413

-80.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

$35.2K CHF 29.0K

-57.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$162 CHF 133

-67.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$68.6 CHF 56.5

-63.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$148 CHF 122

-38.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$180 CHF 148

-59.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$1,710 CHF 1,408

-72.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$1,451 CHF 1,195

-79.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$3,893 CHF 3,206

-76.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$2,416 CHF 1,990

-77.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

$15.7K CHF 12.9K

-87.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

$12.0K CHF 9,880

-88.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$6,342 CHF 5,223

-90.62%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Kreuzlingen: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Kreuzlingen

$1.5K 41.8% 376% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Kreuzlingen

$550 15.8% 131% $312

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Kreuzlingen

$251 7.2% 129% $142

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Kreuzlingen

$379 10.9% 301% $284

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Kreuzlingen

$557 16% 604% $478

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Kreuzlingen

$148 4.3% 142% $87

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Kreuzlingen

$139 4% 170% $87

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $1,710 in Kreuzlingen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 966% higher in Kreuzlingen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $175 in Kreuzlingen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $550 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇭 Kreuzlingen

🕒 Local time

22:33 10:33 PM

17:33 5:33 PM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

20,846

💱 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 19, 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 19, 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Kreuzlingen 8,460 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Kreuzlingen

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 Kreuzlingen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kreuzlingen costs about 270% 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 $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $5,211 in Kreuzlingen. 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 $797 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,144 in Kreuzlingen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 131% more in Kreuzlingen, 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 $938, than in Kreuzlingen at $3,474. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kreuzlingen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $938 versus $3,474 in Kreuzlingen. 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, Kreuzlingen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.