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 $3,410 per month in Glarus vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,117 per month in Glarus vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,823 per month in Glarus vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Glarus costs about 260% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Glarus sits 148% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.52 CHF 24.00

$2.08 ฿69.2

1319.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 99.0

$19.64 ฿651

519.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.18 CHF 14.78

$5.65 ฿188

221.77%

Cappuccino

$6.17 CHF 5.01

$1.81 ฿59.9

240.88%

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

$3.79 CHF 3.08

$0.71 ฿23.66

433.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 CHF 3.19

$0.32 ฿10.48

1125.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.45 CHF 7.68

$2.24 ฿74.2

321.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.37 CHF 5.18

$3.63 ฿121

75.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.77

$1.96 ฿65.0

11.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 CHF 2.68

$1.50 ฿49.83

120.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 CHF 2.36

$1.34 ฿44.32

116.42%

Eggs

$7.86 CHF 6.39

$2.26 ฿75.1

247.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.88 CHF 7.22

$16.26 ฿539

-45.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.68 CHF 11.93

$2.95 ฿98.0

397.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.60 CHF 32.20

$9.94 ฿330

298.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 CHF 2.58

$2.57 ฿85.3

23.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 CHF 1.34

$1.06 ฿35.04

55.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 CHF 1.94

$1.61 ฿53.5

47.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.53 CHF 4.50

$1.52 ฿50.4

263.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 CHF 1.37

$1.27 ฿42.14

32.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 CHF 1.75

$1.07 ฿35.37

100.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 CHF 1.88

$0.72 ฿23.89

220.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 CHF 1.00

$0.51 ฿16.87

141.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.93 CHF 8.88

$4.19 ฿139

160.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.32 CHF 9.21

$17.87 ฿593

-36.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 CHF 1.75

$1.69 ฿56.2

27.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 CHF 1.92

$2.84 ฿94.1

-16.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.33 CHF 5.15

$0.93 ฿30.70

580.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$227 CHF 184

$53.9 ฿1,787

321.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.72 CHF 5.47

$1.23 ฿40.95

446.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.85 CHF 3.95

$0.58 ฿19.13

736.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.9 CHF 65.0

$2.42 ฿80.4

3202.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.80

$1.41 ฿46.84

56.74%

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

$35.7K CHF 29.0K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

66.49%

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

$39.9K CHF 32.4K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

45.94%

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

$324 CHF 263

$63.7 ฿2,112

408.09%

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

$38.59 CHF 31.37

$12.85 ฿426

200.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 CHF 44.51

$20.22 ฿671

170.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$167 CHF 135

$38.74 ฿1,285

330.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.68 CHF 34.70

$3.97 ฿132

975.06%

Cinema Ticket

$25.71 CHF 20.90

$6.74 ฿223

281.45%

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

$2,370 CHF 1,927

$778 ฿25.8K

204.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.6K CHF 26.5K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

123.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 CHF 84.9

$54.3 ฿1,801

92.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.38 CHF 35.26

$25.45 ฿844

70.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 CHF 110

$94.3 ฿3,129

42.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 CHF 81.9

$73.4 ฿2,436

37.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 CHF 1,432

$490 ฿16.2K

259.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 CHF 1,144

$289 ฿9,596

386.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,052 CHF 2,482

$894 ฿29.6K

241.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 CHF 1,899

$517 ฿17.1K

351.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.1

5.57

-62.30%

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

Last update for Glarus: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,762 in Glarus 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $122 in Glarus versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $451 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

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

Glarus costs about 260% 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 $5,115 per month in Glarus 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 $2,370 per month in Glarus 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 88% 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 $947, than in Glarus at $3,410. 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 $947 versus $3,410 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.