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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,301 in Vevey, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,902 in Vevey, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $6,502 in Vevey, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 71% cheaper than Vevey, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Vevey is 139% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.5

$30.82 CHF 25.06

-93.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿657

$125 CHF 101

-84.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿192

$18.93 CHF 15.39

-69.41%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.6

$6.12 CHF 4.97

-70.10%

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

$0.78 ฿25.67

$5.29 CHF 4.30

-85.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.40

$4.25 CHF 3.46

-92.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.4

$9.09 CHF 7.39

-74.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿123

$7.98 CHF 6.49

-53.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.2

$2.27 CHF 1.84

-10.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.9

$3.09 CHF 2.51

-48.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.87

$3.35 CHF 2.73

-57.61%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.1

$7.27 CHF 5.91

-70.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿527

$25.39 CHF 20.64

-37.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$30.02 CHF 24.41

-89.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿327

$40.24 CHF 32.72

-75.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿87.0

$3.72 CHF 3.02

-29.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.28

$2.18 CHF 1.77

-49.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.0

$2.53 CHF 2.06

-35.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.7

$4.73 CHF 3.85

-67.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.23

$1.89 CHF 1.54

-34.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.46

$2.00 CHF 1.63

-43.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.44

$2.26 CHF 1.83

-67.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.52

$1.72 CHF 1.40

-70.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿142

$10.94 CHF 8.90

-60.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿595

$12.57 CHF 10.22

42.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.2

$2.30 CHF 1.87

-26.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.9

$2.99 CHF 2.43

-3.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.20

$3.69 CHF 3.00

-74.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,831

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.86

$7.96 CHF 6.48

-84.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.70

$4.77 CHF 3.88

-88.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.5

$87.9 CHF 71.5

-97.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.67

$2.28 CHF 1.85

-36.84%

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

$21.2K ฿701.9K

$43.7K CHF 35.5K

-51.47%

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

$27.3K ฿904.3K

$39.9K CHF 32.4K

-31.57%

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

$64.9 ฿2,150

$285 CHF 231

-77.18%

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

$13.35 ฿442

$30.79 CHF 25.03

-56.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿690

$56.3 CHF 45.76

-62.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,339

$87.5 CHF 71.2

-53.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$36.47 CHF 29.65

-89.17%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$24.77 CHF 20.14

-72.91%

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

$787 ฿26.1K

$2,965 CHF 2,411

-73.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿500.8K

$31.3K CHF 25.4K

-51.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,862

$143 CHF 116

-60.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿826

$62.0 CHF 50.4

-59.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,070

$141 CHF 115

-34.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,488

$203 CHF 165

-63.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$1,531 CHF 1,245

-68.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,514

$1,477 CHF 1,201

-80.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$2,554 CHF 2,077

-64.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.6K

$2,292 CHF 1,863

-76.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.6K

$20.2K CHF 16.4K

-90.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.1K

$15.6K CHF 12.7K

-90.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$8,483 CHF 6,897

-92.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

178.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Vevey: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $1,531 in Vevey. 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 1301% higher in Vevey, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $125 in Vevey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $590 – 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 Vevey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vevey costs about 247% 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,952 in Vevey. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $125 in Vevey. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 144% more in Vevey, 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 $950, than in Vevey at $3,301. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vevey it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $3,301 in Vevey. 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, Vevey makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.