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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $872 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,701 in Visp, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,312 in Visp, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,922 in Visp, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 68% cheaper than Visp, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Visp is 101% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.5

$18.67 CHF 14.62

-89.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$111 CHF 86.9

-83.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$18.92 CHF 14.82

-59.57%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$5.88 CHF 4.60

-67.35%

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

$0.84 ฿26.97

$4.90 CHF 3.84

-82.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$3.74 CHF 2.93

-90.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

$8.53 CHF 6.68

-74.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$7.38 CHF 5.78

-48.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$1.41 CHF 1.10

16.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.0

$3.67 CHF 2.88

-55.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.98

$3.63 CHF 2.84

-68.32%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.2

$7.19 CHF 5.63

-73.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$19.69 CHF 15.41

-19.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.5

$18.47 CHF 14.46

-83.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

$31.41 CHF 24.59

-64.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.8

$3.72 CHF 2.92

-27.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.80

$2.13 CHF 1.67

-44.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.7

$2.86 CHF 2.24

-40.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.5

$7.15 CHF 5.60

-77.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.66

$2.18 CHF 1.71

-36.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.81

$1.20 CHF 0.94

-4.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.83

$1.25 CHF 0.98

-43.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.65

$1.20 CHF 0.94

-54.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$10.59 CHF 8.29

-56.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

$19.36 CHF 15.16

-2.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$4.06 CHF 3.18

-55.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$4.24 CHF 3.32

-24.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.24

$3.85 CHF 3.02

-77.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿606

$98.4 CHF 77.0

-80.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.30

$8.55 CHF 6.69

-83.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.71

$3.30 CHF 2.59

-60.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$87.9 CHF 68.8

-90.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.29

$2.06 CHF 1.61

-40.29%

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

$21.2K ฿678.9K

$26.9K CHF 21.0K

-21.21%

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

$22.3K ฿715.3K

$22.6K CHF 17.7K

-1.25%

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

$69.9 ฿2,240

$125 CHF 97.9

-44.14%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$67.3 CHF 52.7

-79.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$58.1 CHF 45.48

-69.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,328

$110 CHF 85.8

-62.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿215

$36.24 CHF 28.37

-81.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$20.84 CHF 16.32

-72.46%

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

$299 ฿9,593

$4,065 CHF 3,183

-92.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿481.2K

$40.4K CHF 31.7K

-62.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,758

$110 CHF 86.4

-50.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿845

$43.46 CHF 34.03

-39.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,714

$73.3 CHF 57.4

15.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,236

$97.7 CHF 76.5

-28.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$1,489 CHF 1,166

-71.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,718

$1,116 CHF 874

-78.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

$2,666 CHF 2,088

-69.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

$2,118 CHF 1,658

-76.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

$6,495 CHF 5,085

-68.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.9K

$5,779 CHF 4,525

-73.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

$9,423 CHF 7,378

-93.22%

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 Visp: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Chiang Mai versus $1,489 in Visp. 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 1374% higher in Visp, 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 $111 in Visp. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $514 – 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 Visp: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Visp costs about 210% 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 $4,052 in Visp. 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 $4,065 in Visp. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 109% more in Visp, 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 Visp at $2,701. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Visp it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $872 versus $2,701 in Visp. 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, Visp makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.