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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,056 per month in Chur vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,086 per month in Chur vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,115 per month in Chur vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Chur costs about 259% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chur sits 128% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.56 CHF 24.18

$1.96 ฿64.0

1459.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.9 CHF 77.5

$18.81 ฿615

420.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.07 CHF 12.71

$7.92 ฿259

102.90%

Cappuccino

$5.83 CHF 4.61

$1.91 ฿62.6

205.24%

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

$4.38 CHF 3.46

$0.84 ฿27.41

421.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 CHF 3.31

$0.35 ฿11.51

1097.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.50 CHF 5.93

$2.21 ฿72.1

239.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 CHF 5.76

$3.80 ฿124

91.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.77

$1.64 ฿53.5

35.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.82 CHF 3.02

$1.62 ฿53.1

135.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 CHF 3.33

$1.18 ฿38.62

256.78%

Eggs

$7.76 CHF 6.14

$2.01 ฿65.8

286.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.42 CHF 23.27

$15.89 ฿520

85.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$34.76 CHF 27.50

$3.01 ฿98.5

1054.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$36.10 CHF 28.56

$10.77 ฿352

235.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CHF 2.91

$2.61 ฿85.5

41.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.86

$1.22 ฿39.88

92.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 CHF 2.01

$1.70 ฿55.7

49.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.42 CHF 4.29

$1.58 ฿51.5

243.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 CHF 1.42

$1.32 ฿43.14

35.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 CHF 1.79

$1.17 ฿38.23

93.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 CHF 1.72

$0.67 ฿21.98

223.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CHF 0.97

$0.56 ฿18.32

117.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.87 CHF 8.60

$4.53 ฿148

139.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.75 CHF 10.88

$18.20 ฿595

-24.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 CHF 1.97

$1.83 ฿60.0

36.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 CHF 2.70

$3.23 ฿106

5.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.35 CHF 4.24

$0.89 ฿29.00

501.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$189 CHF 150

$19.38 ฿634

877.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.28 CHF 6.55

$1.35 ฿44.20

513.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.12 CHF 3.26

$1.35 ฿44.05

205.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.8 CHF 49.68

$8.25 ฿270

661.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.74

$1.27 ฿41.64

73.23%

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

$39.5K CHF 31.2K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

86.50%

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

$37.1K CHF 29.4K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

65.17%

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

$243 CHF 193

$70.2 ฿2,294

246.93%

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

$24.94 CHF 19.73

$13.77 ฿450

81.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.69 CHF 39.30

$17.60 ฿575

182.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.6 CHF 66.9

$41.57 ฿1,360

103.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.98 CHF 29.25

$6.60 ฿216

460.30%

Cinema Ticket

$22.28 CHF 17.63

$5.78 ฿189

285.47%

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

$2,504 CHF 1,981

$306 ฿10.0K

718.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.3K CHF 33.5K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

185.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 108

$54.4 ฿1,778

151.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.73 CHF 29.05

$26.14 ฿855

40.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 CHF 103

$84.5 ฿2,764

53.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 CHF 128

$69.4 ฿2,270

132.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 CHF 1,207

$424 ฿13.9K

260.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,136 CHF 898

$238 ฿7,788

376.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,867 CHF 2,268

$825 ฿27.0K

247.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,561 CHF 2,026

$515 ฿16.8K

397.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.2K CHF 8,046

$2,049 ฿67.0K

396.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,386 CHF 5,842

$1,523 ฿49.8K

385.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,296 CHF 5,771

$635 ฿20.8K

1048.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-60.00%

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

Last update for Chur: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,526 in Chur versus $424 in Chiang Mai. 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 1049% higher in Chur, 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 $98.0 in Chur versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $629 vs $243 – 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

Chur vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chur costs about 259% 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 $4,585 per month in Chur and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. 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 $2,504 per month in Chur and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 158% more in Chur, 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 Chur at $3,056. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $3,056 in Chur. 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, Chur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.