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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,517 per month in Interlaken vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,363 per month in Interlaken vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,209 per month in Interlaken vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Interlaken costs about 306% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Interlaken sits 162% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.63 CHF 24.15

$1.94 ฿63.5

1478.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 CHF 113

$18.64 ฿609

667.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.72 CHF 14.76

$7.82 ฿255

139.39%

Cappuccino

$6.12 CHF 4.82

$1.95 ฿63.8

213.85%

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

$5.16 CHF 4.07

$0.85 ฿27.77

507.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 CHF 3.87

$0.35 ฿11.58

1302.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.40 CHF 6.62

$2.13 ฿69.6

294.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 CHF 5.86

$3.73 ฿122

99.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.75

$1.71 ฿56.0

30.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 CHF 2.72

$1.63 ฿53.2

111.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.14 CHF 3.26

$1.14 ฿37.15

263.16%

Eggs

$7.42 CHF 5.85

$1.93 ฿63.1

284.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.41 CHF 23.19

$16.21 ฿530

81.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.59 CHF 26.48

$3.12 ฿102

976.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$48.19 CHF 38.00

$10.90 ฿356

342.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.63 CHF 2.86

$2.75 ฿90.0

32.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.83

$1.21 ฿39.52

92.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 CHF 2.28

$1.62 ฿53.0

79.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.17 CHF 4.86

$1.59 ฿51.8

288.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CHF 1.94

$1.40 ฿45.70

75.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 CHF 1.93

$1.17 ฿38.17

108.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CHF 1.97

$0.66 ฿21.60

278.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 CHF 1.09

$0.53 ฿17.22

160.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 CHF 8.65

$4.69 ฿153

133.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.39 CHF 16.08

$18.66 ฿609

9.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 CHF 1.85

$1.80 ฿58.8

30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CHF 2.60

$3.23 ฿106

2.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.80 CHF 2.99

$0.90 ฿29.26

322.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 CHF 79.2

$19.21 ฿628

422.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.06 CHF 6.35

$1.41 ฿45.91

471.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.21 CHF 3.32

$1.29 ฿42.12

226.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.9 CHF 63.8

$7.84 ฿256

931.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.69

$1.27 ฿41.58

68.50%

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

$41.0K CHF 32.3K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

92.77%

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

$42.1K CHF 33.2K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

89.62%

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

$264 CHF 208

$69.1 ฿2,256

281.50%

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

$47.90 CHF 37.77

$14.08 ฿460

240.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 CHF 46.07

$18.00 ฿588

224.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.1 CHF 70.2

$41.06 ฿1,341

116.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$22.39 CHF 17.65

$5.92 ฿193

278.21%

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

$2,912 CHF 2,296

$299 ฿9,766

873.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.1K CHF 27.7K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

134.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 109

$54.7 ฿1,787

152.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.6 CHF 52.5

$26.77 ฿874

148.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 115

$85.0 ฿2,776

71.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 CHF 147

$70.6 ฿2,306

164.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,703 CHF 1,343

$428 ฿14.0K

297.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,479 CHF 1,166

$237 ฿7,752

522.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,835 CHF 2,235

$801 ฿26.2K

253.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,501 CHF 1,972

$515 ฿16.8K

385.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.9K CHF 10.2K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

552.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,933 CHF 7,043

$1,475 ฿48.2K

505.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,452 CHF 5,875

$617 ฿20.2K

1106.86%

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 Interlaken: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,703 in Interlaken 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 1107% higher in Interlaken, 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 $143 in Interlaken versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $676 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

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

Interlaken costs about 306% 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 $5,275 per month in Interlaken 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 $2,912 per month in Interlaken 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 174% more in Interlaken, 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 Interlaken at $3,517. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Interlaken it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $3,517 in Interlaken. 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, Interlaken makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.