Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Stabio Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Stabio

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,292 in Stabio, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,216 in Stabio, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $7,141 in Stabio, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 74% cheaper than Stabio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Stabio is 146% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$30.35 CHF 23.80

-93.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$165 CHF 130

-88.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$18.53 CHF 14.53

-59.53%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$4.34 CHF 3.40

-55.53%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$4.90 CHF 3.84

-84.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$4.06 CHF 3.18

-92.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$7.25 CHF 5.69

-70.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$7.59 CHF 5.95

-51.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$2.28 CHF 1.79

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$3.61 CHF 2.83

-56.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$4.66 CHF 3.66

-74.68%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$6.99 CHF 5.48

-71.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$27.48 CHF 21.55

-41.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$36.63 CHF 28.72

-91.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$44.71 CHF 35.05

-75.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$3.07 CHF 2.41

-14.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$2.01 CHF 1.58

-41.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$2.53 CHF 1.98

-34.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$7.45 CHF 5.84

-79.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$2.18 CHF 1.71

-36.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$2.26 CHF 1.77

-48.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$2.55 CHF 2.00

-74.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$1.25 CHF 0.98

-59.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$10.55 CHF 8.27

-57.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$12.93 CHF 10.14

41.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$2.54 CHF 1.99

-29.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$4.19 CHF 3.29

-24.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$3.95 CHF 3.10

-77.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$99.4 CHF 77.9

-80.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$6.60 CHF 5.18

-78.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$4.44 CHF 3.48

-70.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$62.4 CHF 48.93

-87.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$2.16 CHF 1.69

-40.74%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$40.5K CHF 31.8K

-47.45%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$37.6K CHF 29.4K

-42.21%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$202 CHF 158

-65.73%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$68.4 CHF 53.6

-79.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$54.2 CHF 42.46

-66.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$86.9 CHF 68.2

-51.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$18.26 CHF 14.32

-67.58%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$1,226 CHF 961

-75.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$34.6K CHF 27.2K

-57.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$107 CHF 84.2

-47.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$47.79 CHF 37.47

-43.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$136 CHF 106

-37.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$152 CHF 120

-52.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$1,708 CHF 1,339

-74.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$1,486 CHF 1,165

-83.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$2,847 CHF 2,232

-71.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$2,457 CHF 1,926

-79.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$13.8K CHF 10.8K

-85.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$12.1K CHF 9,451

-87.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Stabio: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $1,708 in Stabio. 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $165 in Stabio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $663 – 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 Stabio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stabio costs about 290% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,938 in Stabio. 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,226 in Stabio. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 172% more in Stabio, 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 $845, than in Stabio at $3,292. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stabio it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $3,292 in Stabio. 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, Stabio makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.