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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,494 in Stabio, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,483 in Stabio, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $7,473 in Stabio, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 73% cheaper than Stabio, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.5

$34.98 CHF 28.44

-94.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿657

$173 CHF 141

-88.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿192

$20.37 CHF 16.56

-71.58%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.6

$4.55 CHF 3.70

-59.78%

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

$0.78 ฿25.67

$4.96 CHF 4.04

-84.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.40

$4.08 CHF 3.32

-92.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.4

$9.64 CHF 7.84

-75.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿123

$7.50 CHF 6.09

-50.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.2

$2.24 CHF 1.82

-9.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.9

$3.80 CHF 3.09

-57.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.87

$4.10 CHF 3.34

-65.37%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.1

$7.38 CHF 6.00

-70.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿527

$26.03 CHF 21.16

-38.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$29.67 CHF 24.13

-89.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿327

$41.74 CHF 33.94

-76.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿87.0

$3.38 CHF 2.75

-22.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.28

$1.66 CHF 1.35

-33.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.0

$2.65 CHF 2.15

-38.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.7

$5.45 CHF 4.43

-71.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.23

$1.90 CHF 1.55

-34.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.46

$2.14 CHF 1.74

-47.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.44

$2.36 CHF 1.92

-68.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.52

$1.17 CHF 0.95

-57.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿142

$11.17 CHF 9.08

-61.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿595

$12.71 CHF 10.34

41.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.2

$2.81 CHF 2.29

-39.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.9

$3.95 CHF 3.22

-26.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.20

$4.36 CHF 3.55

-78.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,831

$108 CHF 88.2

-49.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.86

$7.91 CHF 6.43

-84.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.70

$5.71 CHF 4.65

-90.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.5

$81.1 CHF 66.0

-97.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.67

$2.29 CHF 1.86

-37.12%

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

$21.2K ฿701.9K

$35.6K CHF 29.0K

-40.49%

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

$27.3K ฿904.3K

$39.8K CHF 32.3K

-31.34%

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

$64.9 ฿2,150

$231 CHF 187

-71.84%

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

$13.35 ฿442

$22.47 CHF 18.27

-40.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿690

$49.95 CHF 40.61

-58.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,339

$84.6 CHF 68.8

-52.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$50.1 CHF 40.74

-92.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$20.39 CHF 16.58

-67.09%

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

$787 ฿26.1K

$1,257 CHF 1,022

-37.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿500.8K

$35.6K CHF 28.9K

-57.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,862

$166 CHF 135

-66.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿826

$57.7 CHF 46.95

-56.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,070

$198 CHF 161

-53.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,488

$155 CHF 126

-51.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$1,737 CHF 1,413

-72.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,514

$1,538 CHF 1,251

-81.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$2,583 CHF 2,100

-64.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.6K

$2,476 CHF 2,013

-78.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.6K

$17.9K CHF 14.6K

-88.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.1K

$12.8K CHF 10.4K

-88.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

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: September 7, 2026

Last update for Stabio: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $1,737 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $173 in Stabio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $604 – 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 268% 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $5,240 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 $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,257 in Stabio. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 149% 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 $950, than in Stabio at $3,494. 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 $950 versus $3,494 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.