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 $3,574 per month in Kriens vs $848 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,405 per month in Kriens vs $1,331 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,237 per month in Kriens vs $1,814 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

Kriens sits 168% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.60 CHF 24.26

$1.96 ฿63.6

1461.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$157 CHF 124

$18.39 ฿598

751.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.76 CHF 14.88

$7.87 ฿256

138.37%

Cappuccino

$6.99 CHF 5.54

$1.95 ฿63.4

258.46%

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

$5.57 CHF 4.42

$0.85 ฿27.57

555.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 CHF 4.02

$0.32 ฿10.52

1484.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.80 CHF 7.78

$2.14 ฿69.6

357.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.22 CHF 5.72

$3.68 ฿120

96.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.71

$1.66 ฿53.9

30.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.85 CHF 3.05

$1.56 ฿50.7

146.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.11 CHF 4.05

$1.19 ฿38.63

329.41%

Eggs

$7.66 CHF 6.08

$1.99 ฿64.7

284.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.40 CHF 22.52

$16.24 ฿528

74.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.19 CHF 28.70

$3.17 ฿103

1041.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.37 CHF 35.19

$10.84 ฿352

309.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 2.89

$2.65 ฿86.2

37.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 CHF 1.69

$1.22 ฿39.67

74.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 CHF 2.23

$1.65 ฿53.7

70.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.89 CHF 5.47

$1.55 ฿50.3

344.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.78

$1.33 ฿43.17

68.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 1.98

$1.21 ฿39.43

105.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CHF 2.03

$0.68 ฿22.04

276.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CHF 1.23

$0.57 ฿18.38

171.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.44 CHF 8.28

$4.68 ฿152

123.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.59 CHF 8.40

$16.99 ฿552

-37.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 CHF 1.95

$1.82 ฿59.3

34.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 CHF 2.41

$3.18 ฿103

-4.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 CHF 3.14

$0.91 ฿29.46

334.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.9 CHF 79.2

$18.74 ฿609

432.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.06 CHF 6.39

$1.41 ฿45.80

471.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.17 CHF 3.30

$1.34 ฿43.52

211.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.3 CHF 69.2

$8.14 ฿265

972.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 CHF 1.67

$1.28 ฿41.53

64.84%

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

$40.9K CHF 32.4K

$21.8K ฿709.3K

87.31%

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

$41.8K CHF 33.1K

$22.4K ฿728.0K

86.57%

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

$292 CHF 231

$70.5 ฿2,291

313.89%

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

$53.4 CHF 42.37

$14.05 ฿457

280.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.5 CHF 47.19

$17.65 ฿574

237.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.6 CHF 68.6

$41.29 ฿1,342

109.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

Cinema Ticket

$23.20 CHF 18.40

$5.96 ฿194

289.26%

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

$2,592 CHF 2,056

$303 ฿9,846

755.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.1K CHF 27.1K

$15.0K ฿486.2K

128.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 CHF 84.7

$54.7 ฿1,778

95.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 CHF 42.88

$26.29 ฿854

105.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$156 CHF 124

$85.8 ฿2,788

81.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$191 CHF 152

$69.7 ฿2,265

174.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 CHF 1,355

$428 ฿13.9K

299.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,444 CHF 1,145

$239 ฿7,769

503.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,817 CHF 2,234

$811 ฿26.4K

247.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,454 CHF 1,947

$510 ฿16.6K

381.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.2K CHF 12.8K

$2,025 ฿65.8K

698.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.5K CHF 10.7K

$1,502 ฿48.8K

798.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,709 in Kriens 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $156 in Kriens versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $667 vs $242 – 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 $5,361 per month in Kriens and $1,272 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 $2,592 per month in Kriens and $303 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 175% 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 $848, than in Kriens at $3,574. 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 $848 versus $3,574 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.