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 $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,764 in Vevey, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,575 in Vevey, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $7,387 in Vevey, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 78% cheaper than Vevey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Vevey is 181% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$31.04 CHF 24.34

-93.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$147 CHF 115

-87.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$19.78 CHF 15.51

-62.08%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$6.03 CHF 4.73

-67.99%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$5.60 CHF 4.39

-86.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$4.98 CHF 3.90

-93.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$10.11 CHF 7.92

-78.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$7.73 CHF 6.06

-52.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$2.24 CHF 1.76

-23.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$3.70 CHF 2.90

-57.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$4.37 CHF 3.43

-73.00%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$7.02 CHF 5.51

-71.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$27.08 CHF 21.23

-40.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$32.80 CHF 25.72

-90.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$53.1 CHF 41.61

-79.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$3.65 CHF 2.86

-27.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$2.33 CHF 1.83

-49.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$2.80 CHF 2.20

-41.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$6.55 CHF 5.14

-76.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$2.54 CHF 1.99

-45.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$2.33 CHF 1.83

-49.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$2.67 CHF 2.09

-75.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$1.51 CHF 1.18

-66.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$11.30 CHF 8.86

-60.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$15.38 CHF 12.06

19.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$2.09 CHF 1.64

-13.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$3.06 CHF 2.40

3.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$3.81 CHF 2.99

-76.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$242 CHF 189

-92.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$7.90 CHF 6.19

-82.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$4.35 CHF 3.41

-69.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$66.5 CHF 52.1

-87.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$2.16 CHF 1.69

-40.74%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$40.6K CHF 31.9K

-47.60%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$40.8K CHF 31.9K

-46.74%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$308 CHF 241

-77.52%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$49.55 CHF 38.85

-71.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$59.8 CHF 46.89

-69.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$86.0 CHF 67.4

-50.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$36.61 CHF 28.70

-81.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$24.20 CHF 18.97

-75.54%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$2,570 CHF 2,015

-88.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$34.5K CHF 27.1K

-57.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$110 CHF 86.1

-48.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$70.7 CHF 55.5

-61.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$176 CHF 138

-51.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$191 CHF 150

-62.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$1,434 CHF 1,125

-69.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$1,500 CHF 1,176

-84.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$2,350 CHF 1,842

-66.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$2,221 CHF 1,742

-77.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$10.8K CHF 8,468

-81.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$9,619 CHF 7,541

-84.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$8,848 CHF 6,937

-92.90%

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 20, 2026

Last update for Vevey: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $1,434 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 1308% 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $147 in Vevey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $674 – 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 346% 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $5,646 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.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,570 in Vevey. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 176% 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 $845, than in Vevey at $3,764. 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 $845 versus $3,764 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.