Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and St. Gallen Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and St. Gallen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,529 in St. Gallen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,441 in St. Gallen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $7,353 in St. Gallen, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 76% cheaper than St. Gallen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while St. Gallen is 164% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$30.33 CHF 24.57

-93.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$147 CHF 119

-87.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$18.50 CHF 14.99

-59.57%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$6.36 CHF 5.15

-68.24%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$5.84 CHF 4.73

-85.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$5.33 CHF 4.32

-93.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$7.66 CHF 6.20

-72.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$7.28 CHF 5.89

-50.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$2.20 CHF 1.78

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$2.66 CHF 2.15

-40.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$3.53 CHF 2.86

-66.29%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$8.31 CHF 6.73

-76.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$27.25 CHF 22.08

-40.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$32.23 CHF 26.10

-90.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$41.77 CHF 33.84

-73.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.27 CHF 2.65

-17.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.86 CHF 1.51

-37.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$2.45 CHF 1.98

-31.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$7.04 CHF 5.70

-77.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$2.53 CHF 2.05

-45.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$2.32 CHF 1.88

-48.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$2.38 CHF 1.93

-71.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$1.11 CHF 0.90

-49.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$10.80 CHF 8.75

-57.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$11.53 CHF 9.34

52.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$2.19 CHF 1.77

-15.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.39 CHF 1.93

38.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$4.21 CHF 3.41

-79.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$82.5 CHF 66.8

-76.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$6.79 CHF 5.50

-79.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$4.10 CHF 3.32

-67.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$79.4 CHF 64.3

-89.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$2.14 CHF 1.73

-42.99%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

-47.46%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$40.8K CHF 33.1K

-44.81%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$324 CHF 262

-78.17%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$59.4 CHF 48.09

-76.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$52.2 CHF 42.30

-66.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$82.7 CHF 67.0

-49.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$100 CHF 81.0

-93.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$31.00 CHF 25.11

-80.90%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$2,815 CHF 2,280

-89.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$34.2K CHF 27.7K

-56.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$145 CHF 118

-61.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$64.6 CHF 52.3

-59.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$159 CHF 128

-47.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$233 CHF 189

-69.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$1,816 CHF 1,471

-76.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$1,495 CHF 1,211

-84.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$2,793 CHF 2,262

-70.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$2,310 CHF 1,871

-77.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$12.4K CHF 10.0K

-84.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$9,105 CHF 7,375

-83.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$6,998 CHF 5,668

-91.72%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for St. Gallen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $1,816 in St. Gallen. 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 1108% higher in St. Gallen, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $147 in St. Gallen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $610 – 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 St. Gallen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St. Gallen costs about 310% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $5,293 in St. Gallen. 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,815 in St. Gallen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 151% more in St. Gallen, 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 $861, than in St. Gallen at $3,529. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. Gallen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $3,529 in St. Gallen. 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, St. Gallen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.