Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Stabio

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $3,425 in Stabio, rent and utilities included – about $30,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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 Stabio
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Stabio Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Stabio

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,425

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,425 in Stabio, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Stabio $3,425

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,492 in Stabio, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Stabio $5,492

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $7,560 in Stabio, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Stabio $7,560

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

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Stabio is 153% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿77.2

$34.94 CHF 28.92

-93.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿663

$177 CHF 147

-88.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿190

$19.37 CHF 16.03

-71.04%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿56.2

$4.81 CHF 3.98

-65.49%

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

$0.70 ฿23.63

$5.54 CHF 4.59

-87.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.34

$4.37 CHF 3.62

-92.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿81.2

$9.66 CHF 8.00

-75.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿125

$7.30 CHF 6.04

-49.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.9

$2.16 CHF 1.79

-9.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.51

$3.67 CHF 3.04

-61.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿44.07

$4.22 CHF 3.49

-68.96%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿73.6

$7.01 CHF 5.80

-68.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿562

$26.24 CHF 21.72

-36.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿93.1

$28.39 CHF 23.50

-90.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿307

$39.68 CHF 32.84

-77.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.8

$3.36 CHF 2.78

-28.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.61

$1.65 CHF 1.37

-37.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.9

$2.56 CHF 2.12

-36.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$5.41 CHF 4.48

-72.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.57

$1.78 CHF 1.47

-27.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.40

$2.08 CHF 1.72

-46.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.32

$2.28 CHF 1.89

-68.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.77

$1.23 CHF 1.02

-56.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿145

$10.85 CHF 8.98

-60.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿606

$14.42 CHF 11.93

24.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿53.4

$3.01 CHF 2.49

-47.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿96.0

$3.90 CHF 3.23

-27.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿29.15

$3.93 CHF 3.25

-78.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,799

$115 CHF 95.3

-53.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.70

$7.18 CHF 5.94

-83.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.18

$5.71 CHF 4.73

-90.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$36.82 CHF 30.47

-93.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿48.45

$2.33 CHF 1.92

-38.20%

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

$20.7K ฿699.9K

$38.8K CHF 32.1K

-46.52%

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

$26.8K ฿904.8K

$40.0K CHF 33.1K

-32.94%

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

$62.3 ฿2,104

$284 CHF 235

-78.05%

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

$12.11 ฿409

$25.68 CHF 21.25

-52.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿673

$49.18 CHF 40.70

-59.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,251

$102 CHF 84.0

-63.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿127

$48.09 CHF 39.80

-92.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿219

$21.37 CHF 17.69

-69.58%

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

$793 ฿26.8K

$3,227 CHF 2,671

-75.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿499.9K

$34.9K CHF 28.8K

-57.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,814

$109 CHF 89.9

-50.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿831

$49.00 CHF 40.55

-49.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,067

$153 CHF 127

-40.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,402

$166 CHF 138

-57.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.4K

$1,798 CHF 1,488

-74.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿10.1K

$1,450 CHF 1,200

-79.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.7K

$3,344 CHF 2,768

-72.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.7K

$2,728 CHF 2,258

-79.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿65.2K

$16.5K CHF 13.7K

-88.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.8K

$12.8K CHF 10.6K

-88.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.9K

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: October 17, 2026

Last update for Stabio: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Stabio

$1.4K 42.4% 387% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Stabio

$592 17.3% 151% $357

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Stabio

$215 6.3% 98.6% $107

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Stabio

$359 10.5% 280% $264

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Stabio

$498 14.5% 534% $419

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Stabio

$167 4.9% 174% $106

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Stabio

$144 4.2% 188% $94

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $1,798 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 in Chiang Mai versus $177 in Stabio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $592 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇭 Stabio

🕒 Local time

07:45 7:45 AM

01:45 1:45 AM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

4,600

💱 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 = 1.08 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 27, 2026: 1 USD = 33.76 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.8 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 27, 2026: 1 USD = 0.828 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.927 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Stabio 8,530 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Stabio

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 Stabio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stabio costs about 270% 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 $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $5,137 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $455 there versus $1,798 in Stabio.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,227 in Stabio. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 151% more in Stabio, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $925 in Chiang Mai and $3,425 in Stabio. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

For expats, Chiang Mai is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 270% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.