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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,427 per month in Fribourg vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,002 per month in Fribourg vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,577 per month in Fribourg vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Fribourg costs about 262% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Fribourg sits 149% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.42 CHF 24.73

$2.08 ฿69.2

1362.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$126 CHF 103

$19.64 ฿651

542.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.94 CHF 12.96

$5.65 ฿188

182.12%

Cappuccino

$6.33 CHF 5.15

$1.81 ฿59.9

249.72%

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

$5.12 CHF 4.16

$0.71 ฿23.66

621.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 CHF 4.33

$0.32 ฿10.48

1565.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.34 CHF 5.96

$2.24 ฿74.2

227.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 CHF 5.52

$3.63 ฿121

87.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.78

$1.96 ฿65.0

11.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 CHF 2.74

$1.50 ฿49.83

125.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.49 CHF 2.84

$1.34 ฿44.32

160.45%

Eggs

$7.59 CHF 6.17

$2.26 ฿75.1

235.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.18 CHF 20.47

$16.26 ฿539

54.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.03 CHF 21.16

$2.95 ฿98.0

782.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$37.06 CHF 30.13

$9.94 ฿330

272.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 CHF 2.90

$2.57 ฿85.3

38.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 CHF 1.41

$1.06 ฿35.04

63.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 CHF 2.15

$1.61 ฿53.5

63.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.71 CHF 3.83

$1.52 ฿50.4

209.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 CHF 1.47

$1.27 ฿42.14

42.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 CHF 1.67

$1.07 ฿35.37

92.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 CHF 1.88

$0.72 ฿23.89

220.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 CHF 1.02

$0.51 ฿16.87

145.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.23 CHF 9.13

$4.19 ฿139

168.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.31 CHF 8.39

$17.87 ฿593

-42.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.72 CHF 3.02

$1.69 ฿56.2

120.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 CHF 2.00

$2.84 ฿94.1

-13.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.48 CHF 2.83

$0.93 ฿30.70

274.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.2 CHF 71.7

$53.9 ฿1,787

63.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.09 CHF 8.20

$1.23 ฿40.95

720.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.18 CHF 3.40

$0.58 ฿19.13

620.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$75.6 CHF 61.5

$2.42 ฿80.4

3024.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.77

$1.41 ฿46.84

54.61%

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

$42.8K CHF 34.8K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

99.43%

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

$40.9K CHF 33.2K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

49.53%

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

$350 CHF 285

$63.7 ฿2,112

449.84%

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

$41.90 CHF 34.07

$12.85 ฿426

226.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CHF 47.09

$20.22 ฿671

186.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.8 CHF 51.1

$38.74 ฿1,285

62.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.05 CHF 25.24

$3.97 ฿132

682.12%

Cinema Ticket

$21.29 CHF 17.31

$6.74 ฿223

215.88%

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

$1,855 CHF 1,508

$778 ฿25.8K

138.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.3K CHF 30.4K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

155.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 CHF 83.0

$54.3 ฿1,801

88.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.8 CHF 48.59

$25.45 ฿844

134.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$165 CHF 134

$94.3 ฿3,129

75.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 154

$73.4 ฿2,436

157.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 CHF 1,295

$490 ฿16.2K

225.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 CHF 1,194

$289 ฿9,596

407.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,516 CHF 2,046

$894 ฿29.6K

181.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,250 CHF 1,829

$517 ฿17.1K

335.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.8K CHF 16.9K

$1,955 ฿64.9K

963.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.3K CHF 11.6K

$1,477 ฿49.0K

866.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,080 CHF 5,756

$602 ฿20.0K

1075.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.31

5.57

-58.53%

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

Last update for Fribourg: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,592 in Fribourg 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 1076% higher in Fribourg, 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 $126 in Fribourg versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $557 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

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

Fribourg costs about 262% 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 $5,140 per month in Fribourg 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 $1,855 per month in Fribourg 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 132% more in Fribourg, 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 Fribourg at $3,427. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fribourg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $3,427 in Fribourg. 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, Fribourg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.