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 $3,357 per month in Fribourg vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,992 per month in Fribourg vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,628 per month in Fribourg vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Fribourg costs about 287% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Fribourg sits 151% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.98 CHF 24.51

$1.94 ฿63.6

1496.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 96.8

$18.64 ฿609

556.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.75 CHF 14.04

$7.82 ฿256

126.98%

Cappuccino

$6.02 CHF 4.76

$1.95 ฿63.9

208.72%

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

$5.16 CHF 4.08

$0.85 ฿27.80

507.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.37 CHF 4.25

$0.35 ฿11.60

1434.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.96 CHF 5.50

$2.13 ฿69.7

226.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.22 CHF 5.71

$3.73 ฿122

93.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 CHF 1.63

$1.71 ฿56.0

20.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.35 CHF 2.65

$1.63 ฿53.3

105.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.36 CHF 2.66

$1.14 ฿37.18

194.74%

Eggs

$6.64 CHF 5.25

$1.93 ฿63.2

244.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.09 CHF 23.01

$16.21 ฿530

79.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$25.61 CHF 20.26

$3.12 ฿102

720.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$37.53 CHF 29.69

$10.90 ฿356

244.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.25 CHF 3.36

$2.75 ฿90.1

54.55%

Banana (1kg)

$3.21 CHF 2.54

$1.21 ฿39.56

165.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 CHF 2.34

$1.62 ฿53.0

82.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.20 CHF 4.90

$1.59 ฿51.9

289.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 CHF 1.65

$1.40 ฿45.75

49.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.85

$1.17 ฿38.20

99.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.88 CHF 2.28

$0.66 ฿21.62

336.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 CHF 1.26

$0.53 ฿17.24

201.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.96 CHF 8.67

$4.69 ฿153

133.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.85 CHF 8.58

$18.66 ฿610

-41.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.93 CHF 3.11

$1.80 ฿58.8

118.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 CHF 3.83

$3.23 ฿106

49.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.67 CHF 2.91

$0.90 ฿29.28

307.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.1 CHF 68.9

$19.21 ฿628

353.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.78 CHF 6.16

$1.41 ฿45.96

451.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.52 CHF 2.78

$1.29 ฿42.16

172.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$74.6 CHF 59.0

$7.84 ฿256

850.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.74

$1.27 ฿41.62

73.23%

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

$42.1K CHF 33.3K

$21.3K ฿695.5K

97.83%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.1K

$22.2K ฿726.1K

82.83%

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

$311 CHF 246

$69.1 ฿2,258

349.59%

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

$74.7 CHF 59.1

$14.08 ฿460

430.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.3 CHF 42.14

$18.00 ฿588

195.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.0 CHF 56.1

$41.06 ฿1,342

72.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.30 CHF 35.84

$6.96 ฿227

550.86%

Cinema Ticket

$21.17 CHF 16.75

$5.92 ฿193

257.60%

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

$1,813 CHF 1,434

$299 ฿9,775

506.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.9K CHF 29.2K

$15.0K ฿488.8K

147.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 CHF 79.3

$54.7 ฿1,788

83.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$82.2 CHF 65.1

$26.77 ฿875

207.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$153 CHF 121

$85.0 ฿2,778

80.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$216 CHF 171

$70.6 ฿2,308

205.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,616 CHF 1,279

$428 ฿14.0K

277.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,300 CHF 1,029

$237 ฿7,759

447.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,664 CHF 2,107

$801 ฿26.2K

232.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,083 CHF 1,648

$515 ฿16.9K

304.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,134 CHF 6,435

$1,975 ฿64.5K

311.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,140 CHF 4,067

$1,475 ฿48.2K

248.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,283 CHF 5,762

$617 ฿20.2K

1079.52%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,616 in Fribourg 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 1080% 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 $122 in Fribourg versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $598 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

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

Fribourg costs about 287% 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 $5,036 per month in Fribourg 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 $1,813 per month in Fribourg 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 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 $866, than in Fribourg at $3,357. 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 $866 versus $3,357 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.