Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Montreux

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $3,440 in Montreux, rent and utilities included – about $30,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
166

Cost of Living Index in Montreux
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Montreux Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Montreux

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,440

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,440 in Montreux, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Montreux $3,440

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,245 in Montreux, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Montreux $5,245

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $7,050 in Montreux, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Montreux $7,050

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

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Montreux is 153% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$30.54 CHF 25.19

-92.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$125 CHF 103

-84.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$18.32 CHF 15.11

-69.71%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$6.07 CHF 5.01

-72.49%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$4.61 CHF 3.80

-86.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$4.05 CHF 3.34

-92.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$9.70 CHF 8.00

-75.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$9.49 CHF 7.82

-61.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$2.23 CHF 1.84

-12.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$3.31 CHF 2.73

-56.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$3.32 CHF 2.74

-59.94%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$7.09 CHF 5.85

-67.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$24.79 CHF 20.45

-33.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$28.28 CHF 23.32

-90.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$39.88 CHF 32.89

-76.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$3.65 CHF 3.01

-35.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$1.66 CHF 1.37

-41.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.46 CHF 2.03

-34.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$4.60 CHF 3.80

-67.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$1.86 CHF 1.53

-31.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$1.92 CHF 1.58

-42.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$1.97 CHF 1.63

-63.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$1.69 CHF 1.39

-71.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$11.00 CHF 9.08

-62.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$12.05 CHF 9.94

45.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$2.73 CHF 2.25

-41.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$3.25 CHF 2.68

-14.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$4.21 CHF 3.47

-79.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$104 CHF 85.4

-47.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$7.47 CHF 6.16

-84.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$3.76 CHF 3.10

-85.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$64.8 CHF 53.4

-96.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$2.42 CHF 2.00

-40.08%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$38.7K CHF 31.9K

-45.54%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$39.6K CHF 32.7K

-31.99%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$288 CHF 238

-78.44%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$37.64 CHF 31.04

-67.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$52.2 CHF 43.03

-61.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$89.6 CHF 73.9

-58.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$45.58 CHF 37.60

-91.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$24.18 CHF 19.95

-73.16%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$2,443 CHF 2,015

-69.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$35.9K CHF 29.6K

-58.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$135 CHF 111

-60.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$78.7 CHF 64.9

-68.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$168 CHF 139

-45.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$184 CHF 152

-60.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$1,773 CHF 1,462

-72.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$1,473 CHF 1,215

-79.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$2,960 CHF 2,441

-66.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$2,500 CHF 2,062

-74.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$16.4K CHF 13.5K

-85.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$12.5K CHF 10.3K

-87.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$8,161 CHF 6,731

-92.77%

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 Montreux: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Montreux

$1.5K 42.8% 377% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Montreux

$575 16.7% 146% $341

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Montreux

$255 7.4% 134% $146

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Montreux

$378 11% 300% $284

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Montreux

$474 13.8% 511% $397

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Montreux

$147 4.3% 139% $85

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Montreux

$138 4% 174% $88

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $1,773 in Montreux. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Montreux are about 14 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $125 in Montreux. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $575 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇭 Montreux

🕒 Local time

12:02 12:02 PM

06:02 6:02 AM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

26,208

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 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 November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.825 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.921 CHF (1 CHF = 1.09 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Montreux 8,660 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Montreux

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 Montreux: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreux costs about 268% 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 $5,160 in Montreux. 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 $1,773 in Montreux.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,443 in Montreux. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 146% more in Montreux, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $3,440 in Montreux. 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 $3,440 in Montreux. 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, Montreux makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.