Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Staefa

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $3,402 in Staefa, rent and utilities included – about $29,600 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
171

Cost of Living Index in Staefa
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Staefa Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Staefa

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,402

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,402 in Staefa, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Staefa $3,402

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,480 in Staefa, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Staefa $5,480

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $7,558 in Staefa, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Staefa $7,558

Chiang Mai is about 72% cheaper than Staefa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Staefa is 152% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.7

$33.35 CHF 27.23

-93.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿625

$124 CHF 101

-84.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$16.32 CHF 13.32

-65.69%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$6.22 CHF 5.08

-73.31%

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

$0.65 ฿21.73

$5.89 CHF 4.81

-88.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.24

$5.17 CHF 4.22

-94.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.0

$8.68 CHF 7.09

-73.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$8.54 CHF 6.97

-57.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.7

$2.17 CHF 1.78

-6.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.29

$3.49 CHF 2.85

-59.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.75

$3.83 CHF 3.12

-63.71%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.5

$8.50 CHF 6.94

-72.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$26.34 CHF 21.51

-37.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.7

$26.66 CHF 21.76

-89.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$55.2 CHF 45.08

-83.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$3.52 CHF 2.87

-31.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.98

$2.78 CHF 2.27

-62.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.7

$3.48 CHF 2.84

-52.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$4.73 CHF 3.86

-67.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.57

$2.62 CHF 2.14

-52.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.50

$2.27 CHF 1.85

-51.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.59

$2.43 CHF 1.99

-68.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.27

$1.32 CHF 1.08

-61.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$11.09 CHF 9.05

-62.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿602

$14.14 CHF 11.54

26.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.5

$2.76 CHF 2.25

-41.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.8

$3.22 CHF 2.63

-12.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.39

$4.57 CHF 3.73

-79.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,777

$99.1 CHF 80.9

-46.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.52

$8.13 CHF 6.64

-85.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$4.75 CHF 3.88

-96.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$88.4 CHF 72.2

-97.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.47

$2.35 CHF 1.92

-37.45%

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

$21.0K ฿705.8K

$40.2K CHF 32.8K

-47.71%

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

$26.5K ฿890.7K

$39.4K CHF 32.1K

-32.62%

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

$62.6 ฿2,101

$239 CHF 195

-73.85%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$32.40 CHF 26.46

-64.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿682

$56.0 CHF 45.68

-63.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,272

$79.7 CHF 65.1

-52.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$48.63 CHF 39.70

-92.39%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$24.73 CHF 20.19

-73.68%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$3,024 CHF 2,469

-75.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿556.7K

$36.9K CHF 30.2K

-55.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,798

$140 CHF 114

-61.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿833

$56.0 CHF 45.71

-55.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,036

$149 CHF 122

-39.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,418

$171 CHF 140

-57.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$1,988 CHF 1,623

-75.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$1,426 CHF 1,164

-78.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.5K

$2,860 CHF 2,335

-63.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$2,909 CHF 2,375

-77.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.2K

$17.0K CHF 13.9K

-85.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.0K

$11.9K CHF 9,714

-86.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

1.72

223.84%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Staefa: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Staefa

$1.4K 41.9% 360% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Staefa

$642 18.9% 171% $406

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Staefa

$232 6.8% 114% $124

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Staefa

$328 9.6% 247% $233

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Staefa

$495 14.6% 547% $419

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Staefa

$149 4.4% 154% $91

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Staefa

$129 3.8% 154% $78

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $1,988 in Staefa. 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 $19 in Chiang Mai versus $123 in Staefa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $642 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇭 Staefa

🕒 Local time

16:06 4:06 PM

10:06 10:06 AM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

11,567

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1 CHF = 1.22 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 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.75 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 0.816 CHF (1 CHF = 1.22 USD). 1 EUR = 0.917 CHF (1 CHF = 1.09 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Staefa 8,510 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Staefa

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 Staefa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Staefa costs about 264% 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 $5,102 in Staefa. 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 $481 there versus $1,988 in Staefa.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,024 in Staefa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 171% more in Staefa, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $3,402 in Staefa. 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 cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Chiang Mai is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 72% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.