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 $3,317 per month in Kriens vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,030 per month in Kriens vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,742 per month in Kriens vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kriens costs about 256% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Kriens sits 143% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.36 CHF 24.95

$2.08 ฿69.3

1359.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 CHF 88.7

$19.61 ฿653

450.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.41 CHF 15.13

$5.67 ฿189

224.69%

Cappuccino

$6.12 CHF 5.03

$1.81 ฿60.1

238.12%

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

$5.28 CHF 4.34

$0.77 ฿25.58

585.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.02 CHF 4.13

$0.35 ฿11.49

1334.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.04 CHF 4.96

$2.21 ฿73.7

173.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.31 CHF 6.01

$3.79 ฿126

92.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.79

$2.05 ฿68.2

6.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 CHF 3.15

$1.51 ฿50.4

154.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 CHF 2.24

$1.40 ฿46.57

94.29%

Eggs

$7.78 CHF 6.39

$2.26 ฿75.2

244.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.09 CHF 22.26

$16.19 ฿539

67.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.48 CHF 25.87

$2.90 ฿96.4

985.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.93 CHF 34.46

$9.42 ฿314

345.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 CHF 2.44

$2.68 ฿89.2

10.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 CHF 1.51

$1.09 ฿36.28

67.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.08

$1.62 ฿53.8

56.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 CHF 4.44

$1.46 ฿48.61

269.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 CHF 1.45

$1.28 ฿42.54

38.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 CHF 1.65

$1.06 ฿35.21

89.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 CHF 1.84

$0.72 ฿23.88

211.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 CHF 1.15

$0.53 ฿17.51

164.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.31 CHF 9.30

$4.23 ฿141

167.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.61 CHF 8.72

$18.29 ฿609

-41.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 CHF 2.06

$1.63 ฿54.3

53.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 CHF 2.37

$2.90 ฿96.6

-0.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.43 CHF 3.64

$0.88 ฿29.24

403.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 CHF 84.3

$53.8 ฿1,790

90.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.13 CHF 5.86

$1.17 ฿39.04

509.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$6.25 CHF 5.13

$0.58 ฿19.25

977.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.7 CHF 64.7

$2.39 ฿79.4

3193.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.86

$1.45 ฿48.28

56.55%

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

$43.2K CHF 35.5K

$21.0K ฿699.5K

105.54%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.6K

$26.4K ฿879.7K

50.14%

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

$123 CHF 101

$63.7 ฿2,119

93.23%

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

$40.33 CHF 33.14

$12.89 ฿429

212.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 CHF 48.07

$20.52 ฿683

185.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.3 CHF 75.0

$39.02 ฿1,299

133.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.33 CHF 38.90

$3.92 ฿130

1107.40%

Cinema Ticket

$22.29 CHF 18.32

$6.58 ฿219

238.75%

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

$3,235 CHF 2,659

$784 ฿26.1K

312.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K CHF 20.2K

$14.7K ฿488.4K

67.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 CHF 74.9

$55.1 ฿1,835

65.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.3 CHF 57.0

$24.74 ฿824

180.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 CHF 89.9

$94.1 ฿3,133

16.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 CHF 142

$74.0 ฿2,462

132.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 CHF 1,407

$490 ฿16.3K

249.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 CHF 1,218

$288 ฿9,594

414.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,941 CHF 2,417

$891 ฿29.7K

229.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,472 CHF 2,032

$521 ฿17.3K

374.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.2K CHF 13.3K

$1,974 ฿65.7K

719.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 10.4K

$1,444 ฿48.1K

772.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.9

5.57

-65.89%

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

Last update for Kriens: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,712 in Kriens 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 $108 in Kriens versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $604 vs $241 – 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 256% 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 $4,976 per month in Kriens and $1,398 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 $3,235 per month in Kriens and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 151% 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 $932, than in Kriens at $3,317. 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 $932 versus $3,317 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.