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 $3,441 per month in Embrach vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,370 per month in Embrach vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,299 per month in Embrach vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Embrach costs about 297% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Embrach sits 157% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.11 CHF 24.53

$1.94 ฿63.5

1503.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$142 CHF 112

$18.64 ฿609

663.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.56 CHF 14.63

$7.82 ฿255

137.34%

Cappuccino

$6.06 CHF 4.78

$1.95 ฿63.8

210.77%

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

$5.15 CHF 4.06

$0.85 ฿27.77

505.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 CHF 3.78

$0.35 ฿11.58

1268.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.30 CHF 6.54

$2.13 ฿69.6

289.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.50 CHF 5.91

$3.73 ฿122

101.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.76

$1.71 ฿56.0

30.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 CHF 2.83

$1.63 ฿53.2

120.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.06 CHF 3.20

$1.14 ฿37.15

256.14%

Eggs

$7.36 CHF 5.80

$1.93 ฿63.1

281.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.40 CHF 23.18

$16.21 ฿530

81.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.77 CHF 26.62

$3.12 ฿102

982.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$48.58 CHF 38.30

$10.90 ฿356

345.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 CHF 2.97

$2.75 ฿90.0

37.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.85

$1.21 ฿39.52

94.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 CHF 2.32

$1.62 ฿53.0

81.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.23 CHF 4.92

$1.59 ฿51.8

291.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 CHF 1.93

$1.40 ฿45.70

75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 CHF 1.86

$1.17 ฿38.17

101.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 CHF 2.07

$0.66 ฿21.60

296.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 CHF 1.09

$0.53 ฿17.22

160.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.06 CHF 8.72

$4.69 ฿153

135.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.19 CHF 11.19

$18.66 ฿609

-23.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 CHF 1.94

$1.80 ฿58.8

36.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 CHF 2.66

$3.23 ฿106

4.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.99 CHF 3.15

$0.90 ฿29.26

343.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.5 CHF 78.4

$19.21 ฿628

417.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 CHF 6.14

$1.41 ฿45.91

452.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.15 CHF 3.27

$1.29 ฿42.12

221.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.0 CHF 63.9

$7.84 ฿256

933.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.69

$1.27 ฿41.58

69.29%

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

$40.5K CHF 31.9K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

90.36%

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

$41.6K CHF 32.8K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

87.20%

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

$262 CHF 207

$69.1 ฿2,256

279.61%

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

$49.08 CHF 38.69

$14.08 ฿460

248.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 CHF 47.06

$18.00 ฿588

231.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.4 CHF 69.7

$41.06 ฿1,341

115.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.5 CHF 58.7

$6.96 ฿227

970.55%

Cinema Ticket

$23.05 CHF 18.17

$5.92 ฿193

289.36%

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

$2,866 CHF 2,259

$299 ฿9,766

858.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.8K CHF 27.4K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

132.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 108

$54.7 ฿1,787

149.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.3 CHF 53.0

$26.77 ฿874

151.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 CHF 119

$85.0 ฿2,776

76.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 CHF 147

$70.6 ฿2,306

164.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,669 CHF 1,316

$428 ฿14.0K

289.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,442 CHF 1,137

$237 ฿7,752

507.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,861 CHF 2,256

$801 ฿26.2K

257.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,501 CHF 1,972

$515 ฿16.8K

385.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.8K CHF 10.9K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

598.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.1K CHF 7,949

$1,475 ฿48.2K

583.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,107 CHF 5,603

$617 ฿20.2K

1050.97%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,669 in Embrach versus $428 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 1051% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $669 vs $246 – 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 297% 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 $5,162 per month in Embrach and $1,300 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 $2,866 per month in Embrach and $299 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 $866, than in Embrach at $3,441. 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 $866 versus $3,441 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.