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 $3,256 per month in Fribourg vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,963 per month in Fribourg vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,669 per month in Fribourg vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Fribourg costs about 278% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Fribourg sits 144% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.21 CHF 25.23

$1.96 ฿65.9

1492.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 CHF 100

$18.35 ฿617

574.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.73 CHF 14.33

$7.48 ฿252

137.03%

Cappuccino

$6.30 CHF 5.09

$2.02 ฿67.8

211.88%

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

$5.09 CHF 4.11

$0.85 ฿28.52

498.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 CHF 4.28

$0.36 ฿11.97

1372.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.93 CHF 5.60

$2.14 ฿71.9

223.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.50 CHF 6.06

$3.59 ฿121

108.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CHF 1.64

$1.65 ฿55.5

23.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CHF 2.70

$1.57 ฿52.7

112.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.46 CHF 2.80

$1.19 ฿40.05

190.76%

Eggs

$6.66 CHF 5.38

$1.94 ฿65.1

243.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.15 CHF 23.57

$16.19 ฿545

80.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$25.28 CHF 20.44

$2.99 ฿101

745.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$36.83 CHF 29.78

$10.94 ฿368

236.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 CHF 3.35

$2.71 ฿91.2

53.14%

Banana (1kg)

$3.32 CHF 2.68

$1.17 ฿39.27

183.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 CHF 2.37

$1.69 ฿56.8

73.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 CHF 4.83

$1.60 ฿54.0

273.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 CHF 1.67

$1.38 ฿46.56

49.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 CHF 1.98

$1.20 ฿40.47

104.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 CHF 2.28

$0.67 ฿22.51

320.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 CHF 1.30

$0.56 ฿18.74

187.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.81 CHF 8.74

$4.64 ฿156

132.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 CHF 8.32

$17.62 ฿593

-41.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.02 CHF 3.25

$1.86 ฿62.6

116.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.80 CHF 3.88

$3.30 ฿111

45.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.63 CHF 2.93

$0.88 ฿29.70

312.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.3 CHF 69.8

$19.34 ฿651

346.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.46 CHF 6.03

$1.36 ฿45.92

448.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 CHF 2.83

$1.34 ฿45.00

161.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$73.7 CHF 59.6

$8.21 ฿276

797.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.78

$1.22 ฿41.20

80.33%

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

$41.4K CHF 33.4K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

93.67%

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

$41.2K CHF 33.3K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

82.74%

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

$305 CHF 247

$70.7 ฿2,378

331.41%

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

$73.0 CHF 59.0

$14.04 ฿472

419.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.5 CHF 42.42

$17.49 ฿589

199.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.3 CHF 57.7

$42.15 ฿1,418

69.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.90 CHF 37.92

$6.88 ฿231

581.69%

Cinema Ticket

$20.83 CHF 16.84

$5.92 ฿199

251.86%

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

$1,831 CHF 1,480

$309 ฿10.4K

493.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.3K CHF 29.4K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

144.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 CHF 82.9

$55.8 ฿1,876

83.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$84.5 CHF 68.3

$26.11 ฿879

223.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$155 CHF 125

$83.0 ฿2,793

86.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$216 CHF 175

$70.5 ฿2,371

206.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 CHF 1,302

$432 ฿14.5K

272.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 CHF 1,070

$239 ฿8,040

453.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,718 CHF 2,197

$822 ฿27.7K

230.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,104 CHF 1,701

$512 ฿17.2K

310.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.9K CHF 16.9K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

990.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.8K CHF 11.2K

$1,467 ฿49.4K

841.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,096 CHF 5,737

$579 ฿19.5K

1124.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.63

-47.40%

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

Last update for Fribourg: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,611 in Fribourg 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 1125% 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 $124 in Fribourg versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $593 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

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

Fribourg costs about 278% 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 $4,884 per month in Fribourg 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 $1,831 per month in Fribourg 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 143% 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 $861, than in Fribourg at $3,256. 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 $861 versus $3,256 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.