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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,058 per month in Montreux vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,760 per month in Montreux vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,462 per month in Montreux vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Montreux costs about 368% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Montreux sits 203% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.25 CHF 23.85

$1.94 ฿63.5

1459.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 118

$18.64 ฿609

700.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.89 CHF 14.90

$7.82 ฿255

141.56%

Cappuccino

$6.02 CHF 4.74

$1.95 ฿63.8

208.72%

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

$5.59 CHF 4.41

$0.85 ฿27.77

557.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 CHF 3.74

$0.35 ฿11.58

1257.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.61 CHF 7.58

$2.13 ฿69.6

351.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.67 CHF 6.84

$3.73 ฿122

132.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.76

$1.71 ฿56.0

30.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 CHF 3.00

$1.63 ฿53.2

133.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.41 CHF 3.48

$1.14 ฿37.15

286.84%

Eggs

$7.04 CHF 5.55

$1.93 ฿63.1

264.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.06 CHF 22.91

$16.21 ฿530

79.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.44 CHF 22.42

$3.12 ฿102

811.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.85 CHF 34.57

$10.90 ฿356

302.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 CHF 3.16

$2.75 ฿90.0

45.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 CHF 1.70

$1.21 ฿39.52

78.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.28

$1.62 ฿53.0

78.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 CHF 5.05

$1.59 ฿51.8

302.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.17 CHF 2.50

$1.40 ฿45.70

126.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.91

$1.17 ฿38.17

107.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 1.99

$0.66 ฿21.60

281.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CHF 1.24

$0.53 ฿17.22

196.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.89 CHF 8.59

$4.69 ฿153

132.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.17 CHF 11.17

$18.66 ฿609

-24.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 CHF 1.60

$1.80 ฿58.8

12.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 CHF 2.39

$3.23 ฿106

-5.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 CHF 3.18

$0.90 ฿29.26

347.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.5 CHF 70.6

$19.21 ฿628

365.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.08 CHF 6.37

$1.41 ฿45.91

473.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.12 CHF 3.25

$1.29 ฿42.12

219.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.7 CHF 52.6

$7.84 ฿256

750.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$1.27 ฿41.58

77.95%

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

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

87.18%

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

$42.0K CHF 33.1K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

88.88%

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

$308 CHF 243

$69.1 ฿2,256

346.21%

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

$50.1 CHF 39.46

$14.08 ฿460

255.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CHF 45.81

$18.00 ฿588

222.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.5 CHF 63.4

$41.06 ฿1,341

95.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.99 CHF 29.16

$6.96 ฿227

431.47%

Cinema Ticket

$22.58 CHF 17.81

$5.92 ฿193

281.42%

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

$2,617 CHF 2,064

$299 ฿9,766

775.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.8K CHF 26.7K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

126.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 CHF 86.0

$54.7 ฿1,787

99.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.6 CHF 54.1

$26.77 ฿874

156.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$176 CHF 139

$85.0 ฿2,776

107.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 145

$70.6 ฿2,306

160.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,177 CHF 1,717

$428 ฿14.0K

408.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,006 CHF 1,582

$237 ฿7,752

745.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,327 CHF 2,623

$801 ฿26.2K

315.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,749 CHF 2,167

$515 ฿16.8K

433.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.7K CHF 13.2K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

745.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,808 CHF 6,944

$1,475 ฿48.2K

497.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,425 CHF 6,642

$617 ฿20.2K

1264.53%

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 Montreux: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,177 in Montreux 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 1265% higher in Montreux, 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 $149 in Montreux versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $632 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

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

Montreux costs about 368% 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 $6,088 per month in Montreux 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 $2,617 per month in Montreux 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 156% more in Montreux, 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 Montreux at $4,058. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreux it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $4,058 in Montreux. 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, Montreux makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.