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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,503 in Staefa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,367 in Staefa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $7,232 in Staefa, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 76% cheaper than Staefa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Staefa is 163% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$30.77 CHF 24.83

-93.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$150 CHF 121

-87.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$18.28 CHF 14.75

-57.00%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$6.13 CHF 4.94

-66.88%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$5.79 CHF 4.67

-86.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$5.40 CHF 4.35

-93.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$7.69 CHF 6.21

-72.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$6.87 CHF 5.55

-46.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$2.26 CHF 1.82

-23.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$2.84 CHF 2.29

-44.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$3.67 CHF 2.96

-67.30%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$8.13 CHF 6.56

-75.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$27.57 CHF 22.25

-41.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$32.37 CHF 26.12

-90.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$49.27 CHF 39.76

-78.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.19 CHF 2.57

-13.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.87 CHF 2.31

-59.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$3.04 CHF 2.46

-43.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$5.14 CHF 4.15

-69.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$2.78 CHF 2.24

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$2.33 CHF 1.88

-50.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$2.49 CHF 2.01

-73.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.24 CHF 1.00

-58.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$10.98 CHF 8.86

-57.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$13.48 CHF 10.88

31.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.61 CHF 2.10

-31.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.30 CHF 1.85

45.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$4.02 CHF 3.25

-77.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$97.1 CHF 78.4

-80.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$6.97 CHF 5.63

-79.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$4.33 CHF 3.49

-69.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$43.87 CHF 35.40

-81.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$2.35 CHF 1.89

-47.66%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$40.5K CHF 32.7K

-47.12%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$39.9K CHF 32.2K

-45.25%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$251 CHF 203

-71.61%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$35.49 CHF 28.64

-60.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$53.9 CHF 43.52

-66.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$89.7 CHF 72.4

-54.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$48.36 CHF 39.02

-85.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$24.22 CHF 19.54

-76.38%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$2,836 CHF 2,288

-89.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$39.4K CHF 31.8K

-62.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$138 CHF 111

-59.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$60.6 CHF 48.88

-57.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$151 CHF 122

-43.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$204 CHF 165

-65.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$1,686 CHF 1,361

-74.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$1,495 CHF 1,207

-83.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$2,870 CHF 2,316

-72.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$2,482 CHF 2,003

-79.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$16.4K CHF 13.2K

-88.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$12.5K CHF 10.1K

-88.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

139.23%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Staefa: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,686 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $150 in Staefa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $644 – 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 Staefa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Staefa costs about 311% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $5,254 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,836 in Staefa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 164% more in Staefa, 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 $852, than in Staefa at $3,503. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Staefa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $3,503 in Staefa. 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, Staefa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.