Cost of Living Comparison Between La Chaux-de-Fonds and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between La Chaux-de-Fonds and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,126 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,060 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,994 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

La Chaux-de-Fonds costs about 267% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

La Chaux-de-Fonds sits 135% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.08 CHF 20.21

$2.04 ฿68.1

1129.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.8 CHF 68.3

$18.71 ฿624

352.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.17 CHF 14.64

$7.86 ฿262

131.17%

Cappuccino

$4.82 CHF 3.88

$2.03 ฿67.6

137.44%

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

$3.77 CHF 3.03

$0.80 ฿26.63

371.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 CHF 3.79

$0.35 ฿11.68

1242.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.42 CHF 5.98

$2.14 ฿71.5

246.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 CHF 4.85

$3.67 ฿122

64.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.83

$1.73 ฿57.6

31.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 CHF 3.20

$1.57 ฿52.4

152.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.54 CHF 3.66

$1.20 ฿39.98

278.33%

Eggs

$7.48 CHF 6.03

$1.97 ฿65.8

279.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.27 CHF 21.97

$16.23 ฿541

68.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.93 CHF 26.54

$3.06 ฿102

976.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.6 CHF 42.36

$10.80 ฿360

386.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 CHF 2.77

$2.77 ฿92.3

23.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 2.02

$1.17 ฿38.93

114.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 CHF 2.48

$1.71 ฿56.9

79.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.21 CHF 5.01

$1.59 ฿53.2

290.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CHF 2.05

$1.39 ฿46.49

83.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.96

$1.16 ฿38.55

109.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CHF 2.00

$0.66 ฿22.05

277.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 CHF 1.11

$0.52 ฿17.30

163.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.22 CHF 9.04

$4.65 ฿155

141.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.19 CHF 10.62

$17.78 ฿593

-25.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 CHF 1.97

$1.79 ฿59.6

36.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 CHF 2.88

$3.34 ฿111

6.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 CHF 2.47

$0.91 ฿30.26

236.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$158 CHF 127

$18.64 ฿622

746.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.72 CHF 6.22

$1.41 ฿47.02

447.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.59 CHF 2.89

$1.34 ฿44.69

167.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.2 CHF 51.7

$8.11 ฿270

691.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.85

$1.23 ฿41.14

86.18%

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

$40.7K CHF 32.8K

$21.4K ฿714.9K

89.89%

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

$49.0K CHF 39.4K

$21.8K ฿727.8K

124.31%

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

$257 CHF 207

$71.3 ฿2,379

260.00%

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

$48.02 CHF 38.69

$14.01 ฿467

242.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.0 CHF 51.6

$17.93 ฿598

256.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.3 CHF 61.5

$40.82 ฿1,361

86.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.41 CHF 31.76

$6.88 ฿230

472.82%

Cinema Ticket

$24.30 CHF 19.58

$5.72 ฿191

324.83%

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

$3,045 CHF 2,454

$308 ฿10.3K

887.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K CHF 16.8K

$14.7K ฿489.5K

41.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 112

$55.8 ฿1,860

149.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.3 CHF 63.9

$26.04 ฿868

204.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$161 CHF 129

$84.8 ฿2,828

89.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$209 CHF 168

$71.0 ฿2,368

194.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,461 CHF 1,177

$423 ฿14.1K

245.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,088 CHF 876

$242 ฿8,086

348.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,935 CHF 3,171

$797 ฿26.6K

393.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,398 CHF 1,932

$507 ฿16.9K

373.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.3K CHF 12.4K

$1,918 ฿64.0K

699.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.3K CHF 9,073

$1,464 ฿48.8K

669.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,134 CHF 4,137

$595 ฿19.8K

762.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.46

-50.80%

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

Last update for La Chaux-de-Fonds: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,461 in La Chaux-de-Fonds 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.

Salaries run about 763% higher in La Chaux-de-Fonds, 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 $85.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $675 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

La Chaux-de-Fonds vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

La Chaux-de-Fonds costs about 267% 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 $4,689 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds 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 $3,045 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds 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 176% more in La Chaux-de-Fonds, 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 La Chaux-de-Fonds at $3,126. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in La Chaux-de-Fonds it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $3,126 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. 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, La Chaux-de-Fonds makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.