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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,494 per month in Embrach vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,444 per month in Embrach vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,395 per month in Embrach vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Embrach costs about 306% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Embrach sits 162% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.20 CHF 25.17

$1.96 ฿65.7

1491.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$142 CHF 115

$18.35 ฿616

673.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.13 CHF 14.63

$7.48 ฿251

142.38%

Cappuccino

$5.94 CHF 4.80

$2.02 ฿67.7

194.06%

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

$5.39 CHF 4.35

$0.85 ฿28.45

534.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 CHF 3.93

$0.36 ฿11.94

1252.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.34 CHF 6.73

$2.14 ฿71.7

289.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 CHF 5.88

$3.59 ฿121

102.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 CHF 1.72

$1.65 ฿55.4

29.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 CHF 2.93

$1.57 ฿52.6

131.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.28 CHF 3.45

$1.19 ฿39.95

259.66%

Eggs

$7.25 CHF 5.85

$1.94 ฿65.0

273.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.83 CHF 23.27

$16.19 ฿544

78.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.53 CHF 27.06

$2.99 ฿100

1021.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$48.42 CHF 39.07

$10.94 ฿367

342.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 CHF 2.99

$2.71 ฿91.0

36.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$1.17 ฿39.18

91.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 CHF 2.34

$1.69 ฿56.6

71.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.46 CHF 5.21

$1.60 ฿53.9

303.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 2.03

$1.38 ฿46.45

82.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 CHF 1.87

$1.20 ฿40.38

93.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CHF 2.09

$0.67 ฿22.46

286.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 CHF 1.10

$0.56 ฿18.70

144.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.03 CHF 8.90

$4.64 ฿156

137.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.00 CHF 10.49

$17.62 ฿591

-26.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 CHF 1.96

$1.86 ฿62.4

30.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CHF 2.58

$3.30 ฿111

-3.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 CHF 3.08

$0.88 ฿29.63

334.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.5 CHF 79.5

$19.34 ฿649

409.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.01 CHF 6.47

$1.36 ฿45.82

488.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.11 CHF 3.32

$1.34 ฿44.90

206.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.2 CHF 64.7

$8.21 ฿276

877.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$1.22 ฿41.11

79.51%

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

$40.1K CHF 32.4K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

87.96%

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

$41.7K CHF 33.6K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

85.08%

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

$259 CHF 209

$70.7 ฿2,372

266.85%

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

$49.04 CHF 39.57

$14.04 ฿471

249.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 CHF 47.65

$17.49 ฿587

237.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.1 CHF 70.3

$42.15 ฿1,415

106.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.1 CHF 59.8

$6.88 ฿231

977.03%

Cinema Ticket

$22.37 CHF 18.05

$5.92 ฿199

277.87%

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

$2,938 CHF 2,371

$309 ฿10.4K

852.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.4K CHF 28.5K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

137.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 111

$55.8 ฿1,872

146.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.4 CHF 55.2

$26.11 ฿877

161.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 120

$83.0 ฿2,787

79.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$186 CHF 150

$70.5 ฿2,365

164.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,691 CHF 1,364

$432 ฿14.5K

291.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,472 CHF 1,188

$239 ฿8,020

516.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,850 CHF 2,300

$822 ฿27.6K

246.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 CHF 2,015

$512 ฿17.2K

387.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.2K CHF 13.1K

$1,915 ฿64.3K

747.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 10.1K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

756.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,700 CHF 5,406

$579 ฿19.4K

1056.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

-50.00%

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

Last update for Embrach: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,691 in Embrach versus $432 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 1056% higher in Embrach, 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 $142 in Embrach versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $663 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

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

Embrach costs about 306% 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 $5,241 per month in Embrach and $1,292 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 $2,938 per month in Embrach and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 172% more in Embrach, 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 $861, than in Embrach at $3,494. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Embrach it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $3,494 in Embrach. 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, Embrach makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.