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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,594 per month in Kriens vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,500 per month in Kriens vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,405 per month in Kriens vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kriens costs about 322% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kriens sits 170% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.70 CHF 24.77

$2.04 ฿68.2

1404.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$154 CHF 124

$18.71 ฿624

720.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.96 CHF 15.30

$7.86 ฿262

141.22%

Cappuccino

$6.82 CHF 5.50

$2.03 ฿67.7

235.96%

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

$5.53 CHF 4.47

$0.80 ฿26.64

591.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 CHF 4.16

$0.35 ฿11.68

1374.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.01 CHF 8.07

$2.14 ฿71.5

367.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.42 CHF 5.99

$3.67 ฿122

102.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.75

$1.73 ฿57.6

25.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.88 CHF 3.13

$1.57 ฿52.4

147.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.13 CHF 4.14

$1.20 ฿39.99

327.50%

Eggs

$7.95 CHF 6.41

$1.97 ฿65.8

303.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.60 CHF 23.08

$16.23 ฿541

76.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.32 CHF 29.31

$3.06 ฿102

1086.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.74 CHF 35.30

$10.80 ฿360

305.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 2.94

$2.77 ฿92.3

31.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 CHF 1.69

$1.17 ฿38.94

78.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 CHF 2.27

$1.71 ฿57.0

64.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.06 CHF 5.70

$1.59 ฿53.2

344.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 CHF 1.86

$1.39 ฿46.51

66.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 CHF 1.97

$1.16 ฿38.56

110.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CHF 2.11

$0.66 ฿22.05

295.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CHF 1.25

$0.52 ฿17.31

198.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.59 CHF 8.55

$4.65 ฿155

127.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 CHF 8.27

$17.78 ฿593

-42.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 CHF 1.96

$1.79 ฿59.6

35.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CHF 2.51

$3.34 ฿111

-6.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.84 CHF 3.10

$0.91 ฿30.27

321.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 CHF 81.1

$18.64 ฿622

439.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 CHF 6.52

$1.41 ฿47.04

472.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.19 CHF 3.38

$1.34 ฿44.70

212.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.0 CHF 71.0

$8.11 ฿270

985.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$1.23 ฿41.16

80.49%

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

$39.6K CHF 32.0K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

84.89%

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

$42.1K CHF 34.0K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

92.83%

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

$296 CHF 239

$71.3 ฿2,379

315.62%

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

$53.4 CHF 43.12

$14.01 ฿467

281.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 CHF 47.96

$17.93 ฿598

231.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.3 CHF 71.2

$40.82 ฿1,362

116.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.41 CHF 35.03

$6.88 ฿230

530.96%

Cinema Ticket

$23.04 CHF 18.59

$5.72 ฿191

302.80%

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

$2,577 CHF 2,080

$308 ฿10.3K

735.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.5K CHF 27.8K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

134.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 CHF 88.3

$55.8 ฿1,860

96.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 CHF 43.37

$26.04 ฿869

106.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$157 CHF 126

$84.8 ฿2,829

84.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$186 CHF 150

$71.0 ฿2,368

161.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,685 CHF 1,360

$423 ฿14.1K

298.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 CHF 1,190

$242 ฿8,088

508.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,784 CHF 2,247

$797 ฿26.6K

249.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,483 CHF 2,004

$507 ฿16.9K

390.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

$1,918 ฿64.0K

660.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.2K CHF 10.6K

$1,464 ฿48.8K

799.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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 Kriens: July 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,685 in Kriens versus $423 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 $154 in Kriens versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $668 vs $244 – 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

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

Kriens costs about 322% 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 $5,392 per month in Kriens and $1,279 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 $2,577 per month in Kriens and $308 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 Kriens, 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 $852, than in Kriens at $3,594. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kriens it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $3,594 in Kriens. 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, Kriens makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.