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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,867 per month in Dubendorf vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,690 per month in Dubendorf vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,513 per month in Dubendorf vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dubendorf costs about 308% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Dubendorf sits 181% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.67 CHF 24.94

$2.08 ฿69.2

1374.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 CHF 98.6

$19.64 ฿651

517.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.54 CHF 13.45

$5.65 ฿188

192.74%

Cappuccino

$6.21 CHF 5.05

$1.81 ฿59.9

243.09%

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

$5.47 CHF 4.45

$0.71 ฿23.66

670.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 CHF 4.01

$0.32 ฿10.48

1443.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.60 CHF 7.00

$2.24 ฿74.2

283.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CHF 5.45

$3.63 ฿121

84.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.78

$1.96 ฿65.0

11.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.90 CHF 3.17

$1.50 ฿49.83

160.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 CHF 3.82

$1.34 ฿44.32

250.75%

Eggs

$7.61 CHF 6.18

$2.26 ฿75.1

236.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$33.49 CHF 27.22

$16.26 ฿539

105.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.04 CHF 21.99

$2.95 ฿98.0

816.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.16 CHF 35.09

$9.94 ฿330

334.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 CHF 2.89

$2.57 ฿85.3

38.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 CHF 1.87

$1.06 ฿35.04

116.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 CHF 2.72

$1.61 ฿53.5

107.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.91 CHF 5.62

$1.52 ฿50.4

354.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.03

$1.27 ฿42.14

96.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$1.07 ฿35.37

107.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CHF 2.09

$0.72 ฿23.89

256.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 CHF 1.18

$0.51 ฿16.87

184.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 CHF 8.92

$4.19 ฿139

161.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.40 CHF 10.90

$17.87 ฿593

-25.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CHF 1.81

$1.69 ฿56.2

31.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 CHF 2.28

$2.84 ฿94.1

-1.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 CHF 2.02

$0.93 ฿30.70

167.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.0 CHF 40.65

$53.9 ฿1,787

-7.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 CHF 4.41

$1.23 ฿40.95

341.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.39 CHF 2.76

$0.58 ฿19.13

484.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.7 CHF 50.2

$2.42 ฿80.4

2450.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$1.41 ฿46.84

57.45%

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

$42.9K CHF 34.8K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

99.89%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.3K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

45.15%

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

$233 CHF 190

$63.7 ฿2,112

266.72%

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

$32.72 CHF 26.60

$12.85 ฿426

154.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.0 CHF 54.5

$20.22 ฿671

231.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$123 CHF 100

$38.74 ฿1,285

218.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$80.3 CHF 65.2

$3.97 ฿132

1921.41%

Cinema Ticket

$24.97 CHF 20.30

$6.74 ฿223

270.47%

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

$1,881 CHF 1,529

$778 ฿25.8K

141.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.8K CHF 26.7K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

124.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$144 CHF 117

$54.3 ฿1,801

165.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$88.2 CHF 71.7

$25.45 ฿844

246.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 CHF 122

$94.3 ฿3,129

59.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$177 CHF 144

$73.4 ฿2,436

141.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,860 CHF 1,512

$490 ฿16.2K

279.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 CHF 1,532

$289 ฿9,596

551.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,911 CHF 2,366

$894 ฿29.6K

225.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,875 CHF 2,337

$517 ฿17.1K

456.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K CHF 9,988

$1,955 ฿64.9K

528.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,334 CHF 5,962

$1,477 ฿49.0K

396.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,921 CHF 3,188

$602 ฿20.0K

551.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.48

5.57

-55.48%

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

Last update for Dubendorf: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,860 in Dubendorf versus $490 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 551% higher in Dubendorf, 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 $121 in Dubendorf versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $638 vs $240 – 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

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

Dubendorf costs about 308% 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 $5,801 per month in Dubendorf and $1,421 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 $1,881 per month in Dubendorf and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 165% more in Dubendorf, 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 $947, than in Dubendorf at $3,867. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dubendorf it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $3,867 in Dubendorf. 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, Dubendorf makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.