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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,371 per month in Glarus vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,198 per month in Glarus vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,024 per month in Glarus vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Glarus costs about 291% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Glarus sits 152% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.97 CHF 25.04

$1.96 ฿65.9

1480.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$141 CHF 114

$18.35 ฿617

668.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.91 CHF 12.87

$7.48 ฿252

112.70%

Cappuccino

$5.79 CHF 4.68

$2.02 ฿67.8

186.63%

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

$5.42 CHF 4.38

$0.85 ฿28.52

537.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 CHF 3.44

$0.36 ฿11.97

1080.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.35 CHF 5.94

$2.14 ฿71.9

243.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.33 CHF 5.93

$3.59 ฿121

104.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 CHF 1.58

$1.65 ฿55.5

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CHF 2.30

$1.57 ฿52.7

81.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 CHF 1.78

$1.19 ฿40.05

85.71%

Eggs

$7.98 CHF 6.45

$1.94 ฿65.1

311.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.67 CHF 24.80

$16.19 ฿545

89.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.89 CHF 29.02

$2.99 ฿101

1100.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.3 CHF 41.51

$10.94 ฿368

369.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.79 CHF 3.06

$2.71 ฿91.2

39.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 CHF 1.87

$1.17 ฿39.27

97.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 CHF 2.32

$1.69 ฿56.8

69.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.16 CHF 4.98

$1.60 ฿54.0

285.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 CHF 1.93

$1.38 ฿46.56

72.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 CHF 2.00

$1.20 ฿40.47

105.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CHF 2.08

$0.67 ฿22.51

285.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CHF 0.98

$0.56 ฿18.74

117.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.02 CHF 8.91

$4.64 ฿156

137.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.25 CHF 9.10

$17.62 ฿593

-36.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 CHF 1.96

$1.86 ฿62.6

30.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 CHF 2.81

$3.30 ฿111

5.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.01 CHF 4.86

$0.88 ฿29.70

582.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 CHF 90.2

$19.34 ฿651

476.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.92 CHF 6.40

$1.36 ฿45.92

482.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.13 CHF 3.34

$1.34 ฿45.00

208.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.1 CHF 70.4

$8.21 ฿276

961.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.73

$1.22 ฿41.20

75.41%

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

$35.3K CHF 28.5K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

65.22%

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

$38.7K CHF 31.3K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

71.99%

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

$224 CHF 181

$70.7 ฿2,378

217.49%

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

$74.4 CHF 60.1

$14.04 ฿472

429.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.66 CHF 39.34

$17.49 ฿589

178.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.4 CHF 73.9

$42.15 ฿1,418

116.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.27 CHF 34.98

$6.88 ฿231

528.92%

Cinema Ticket

$20.61 CHF 16.66

$5.92 ฿199

248.14%

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

$2,895 CHF 2,340

$309 ฿10.4K

838.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.3K CHF 34.2K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

184.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 113

$55.8 ฿1,876

150.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.7 CHF 61.2

$26.11 ฿879

190.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 CHF 108

$83.0 ฿2,793

61.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 CHF 129

$70.5 ฿2,371

125.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,668 CHF 1,348

$432 ฿14.5K

285.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,319 CHF 1,067

$239 ฿8,040

452.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,892 CHF 2,338

$822 ฿27.7K

251.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,374 CHF 1,919

$512 ฿17.2K

363.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.1K CHF 11.4K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

638.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.7K CHF 8,687

$1,467 ฿49.4K

632.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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 Glarus: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,668 in Glarus 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $141 in Glarus versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $668 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

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

Glarus costs about 291% 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 $5,056 per month in Glarus 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 $2,895 per month in Glarus 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 174% more in Glarus, 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 Glarus at $3,371. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Glarus it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $3,371 in Glarus. 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, Glarus makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.