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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,501 in Thun, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,253 in Thun, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $7,005 in Thun, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 76% cheaper than Thun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$27.67 CHF 22.33

-92.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$125 CHF 101

-85.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$17.19 CHF 13.87

-54.28%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$5.98 CHF 4.83

-66.05%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$4.91 CHF 3.96

-83.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$4.69 CHF 3.78

-92.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$8.30 CHF 6.70

-74.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$7.80 CHF 6.30

-52.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-22.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$3.39 CHF 2.74

-53.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$4.09 CHF 3.30

-70.66%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$7.15 CHF 5.77

-72.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$26.63 CHF 21.49

-39.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$28.89 CHF 23.31

-89.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$40.77 CHF 32.90

-73.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.50 CHF 2.82

-20.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.08 CHF 1.68

-43.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.80 CHF 2.26

-38.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$6.47 CHF 5.23

-75.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$2.25 CHF 1.82

-38.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-48.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$2.53 CHF 2.04

-73.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.15 CHF 0.93

-54.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$10.87 CHF 8.77

-57.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$12.07 CHF 9.74

47.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.91 CHF 1.54

-6.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.35 CHF 1.90

42.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$3.84 CHF 3.10

-76.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$96.8 CHF 78.1

-80.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$7.94 CHF 6.41

-82.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$3.25 CHF 2.62

-58.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$65.3 CHF 52.7

-87.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$2.22 CHF 1.79

-44.59%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$39.9K CHF 32.2K

-46.33%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$41.0K CHF 33.1K

-46.73%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$373 CHF 301

-80.87%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$59.9 CHF 48.34

-76.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$58.3 CHF 47.01

-69.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$89.5 CHF 72.2

-54.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$24.23 CHF 19.56

-76.39%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$3,109 CHF 2,509

-90.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$34.1K CHF 27.6K

-57.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$152 CHF 123

-63.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$70.1 CHF 56.6

-62.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$172 CHF 139

-50.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$188 CHF 151

-62.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$1,705 CHF 1,376

-75.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$1,475 CHF 1,190

-83.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$2,859 CHF 2,307

-72.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$2,420 CHF 1,953

-79.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$7,225 CHF 5,831

-79.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$5,956 CHF 4,807

-90.01%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Thun: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,705 in Thun. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 901% higher in Thun, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $125 in Thun. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $595 – 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 Thun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thun costs about 311% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $5,252 in Thun. 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 $3,109 in Thun. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 144% more in Thun, 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 Thun at $3,501. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thun it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $3,501 in Thun. 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, Thun makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.