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 $872 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,548 in Thun, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,381 in Thun, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $7,214 in Thun, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 75% cheaper than Thun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Thun is 163% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.5

$27.75 CHF 21.73

-92.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$122 CHF 95.8

-85.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$17.27 CHF 13.52

-55.70%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$5.81 CHF 4.55

-66.95%

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

$0.84 ฿26.97

$4.82 CHF 3.77

-82.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$4.65 CHF 3.64

-92.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

$8.38 CHF 6.56

-73.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$7.75 CHF 6.07

-51.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$2.24 CHF 1.75

-26.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.0

$3.38 CHF 2.65

-52.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.98

$4.11 CHF 3.22

-72.02%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.2

$7.14 CHF 5.59

-72.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$26.35 CHF 20.63

-39.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.5

$28.15 CHF 22.04

-88.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

$40.83 CHF 31.97

-72.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.8

$3.42 CHF 2.68

-20.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.80

$2.16 CHF 1.69

-45.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.7

$2.82 CHF 2.21

-39.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.5

$6.40 CHF 5.01

-74.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.66

$2.26 CHF 1.77

-38.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.81

$2.16 CHF 1.69

-46.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.83

$2.51 CHF 1.97

-71.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.65

$1.09 CHF 0.86

-49.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$10.98 CHF 8.60

-58.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

$12.83 CHF 10.05

47.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$1.96 CHF 1.54

-7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$2.27 CHF 1.78

41.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.24

$3.88 CHF 3.04

-77.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿606

$99.0 CHF 77.6

-80.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.30

$7.77 CHF 6.08

-81.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.71

$3.31 CHF 2.59

-60.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$65.8 CHF 51.5

-87.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.29

$2.14 CHF 1.68

-42.52%

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

$21.2K ฿678.9K

$40.8K CHF 32.0K

-48.14%

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

$22.3K ฿715.3K

$41.8K CHF 32.7K

-46.62%

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

$69.9 ฿2,240

$370 CHF 290

-81.11%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$59.3 CHF 46.46

-76.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$57.8 CHF 45.22

-69.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,328

$87.1 CHF 68.2

-52.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$24.98 CHF 19.56

-77.02%

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

$299 ฿9,593

$3,021 CHF 2,365

-90.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿481.2K

$33.4K CHF 26.2K

-55.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,758

$149 CHF 117

-63.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿845

$69.3 CHF 54.2

-61.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,714

$176 CHF 138

-51.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,236

$183 CHF 143

-61.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$1,684 CHF 1,319

-74.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,718

$1,447 CHF 1,133

-83.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

$2,888 CHF 2,261

-71.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

$2,442 CHF 1,912

-79.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.9K

$7,747 CHF 6,066

-80.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

$6,547 CHF 5,126

-90.24%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Thun: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Chiang Mai versus $1,684 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 924% 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $122 in Thun. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $591 – 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 307% 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 $1,308 per month in Chiang Mai and $5,322 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,021 in Thun. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 140% 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 $872, than in Thun at $3,548. 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 $872 versus $3,548 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.