Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Lausanne

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $3,837 in Lausanne, rent and utilities included – about $34,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index
183

Cost of Living Index in Lausanne
Learn more

Lausanne Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Lausanne

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,837 in Lausanne, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Lausanne $3,837

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,789 in Lausanne, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Lausanne $5,789

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $7,741 in Lausanne, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Lausanne $7,741

Chiang Mai is about 76% cheaper than Lausanne, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Lausanne is 182% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.5

$30.81 CHF 25.51

-92.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿640

$116 CHF 95.8

-83.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$17.81 CHF 14.74

-68.84%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.4

$6.13 CHF 5.07

-72.76%

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

$0.64 ฿21.51

$5.17 CHF 4.28

-87.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.29

$4.15 CHF 3.44

-92.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$10.14 CHF 8.40

-76.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿123

$9.59 CHF 7.94

-61.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$2.22 CHF 1.83

-12.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.41

$3.81 CHF 3.16

-62.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.97

$3.28 CHF 2.71

-59.45%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$7.24 CHF 5.99

-68.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿554

$24.40 CHF 20.20

-32.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$27.51 CHF 22.77

-89.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$39.81 CHF 32.96

-76.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.3

$3.54 CHF 2.93

-33.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.75

$2.15 CHF 1.78

-54.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

$2.49 CHF 2.07

-35.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$4.49 CHF 3.72

-66.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.06

$1.86 CHF 1.54

-31.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.14

$1.94 CHF 1.60

-43.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.79

$1.99 CHF 1.65

-64.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.34

$1.69 CHF 1.40

-71.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$10.99 CHF 9.10

-62.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿590

$14.96 CHF 12.39

17.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.4

$2.64 CHF 2.18

-39.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$3.13 CHF 2.59

-11.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.27

$4.68 CHF 3.87

-81.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,823

$96.1 CHF 79.5

-43.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.00

$7.94 CHF 6.57

-85.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.78

$4.45 CHF 3.69

-88.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.6

$83.5 CHF 69.1

-97.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.82

$2.31 CHF 1.91

-37.23%

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

$21.1K ฿709.7K

$39.4K CHF 32.6K

-46.55%

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

$26.9K ฿907.9K

$39.6K CHF 32.8K

-31.90%

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

$62.2 ฿2,095

$299 CHF 247

-79.20%

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

$12.17 ฿410

$37.02 CHF 30.65

-67.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿678

$52.2 CHF 43.17

-61.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,257

$70.6 CHF 58.5

-47.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$48.90 CHF 40.48

-92.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$24.49 CHF 20.28

-73.50%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$2,960 CHF 2,451

-75.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿497.6K

$36.8K CHF 30.4K

-59.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,799

$143 CHF 119

-62.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿830

$78.8 CHF 65.2

-68.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,083

$139 CHF 115

-34.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,424

$213 CHF 176

-66.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$2,369 CHF 1,962

-79.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$1,863 CHF 1,542

-83.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$4,244 CHF 3,513

-76.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.3K

$3,230 CHF 2,675

-80.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.6K

$18.4K CHF 15.2K

-87.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$13.6K CHF 11.2K

-88.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$6,587 CHF 5,454

-91.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

1.95

185.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Lausanne

$1.9K 48.6% 503% $1.6K

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Lausanne

$583 15.2% 149% $348

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Lausanne

$259 6.7% 138% $150

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Lausanne

$388 10.1% 311% $294

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Lausanne

$481 12.5% 520% $403

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Lausanne

$145 3.8% 136% $84

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Lausanne

$120 3.1% 138% $69

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $2,369 in Lausanne. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Lausanne are about 11 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $116 in Lausanne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $583 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇭 Lausanne

🕒 Local time

14:11 2:11 PM

08:11 8:11 AM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

133,521

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.09 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 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.828 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.922 CHF (1 CHF = 1.09 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Lausanne 8,680 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Lausanne

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 Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne costs about 310% 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $5,756 in Lausanne. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $2,369 in Lausanne.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,960 in Lausanne. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 149% more in Lausanne, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $3,837 in Lausanne. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $936 versus $3,837 in Lausanne. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lausanne makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.