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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,973 per month in Olten vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,526 per month in Olten vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,078 per month in Olten vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Olten costs about 245% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Olten sits 123% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.25 CHF 25.31

$1.96 ฿65.8

1494.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 CHF 83.2

$18.35 ฿617

459.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.04 CHF 13.81

$7.48 ฿252

127.81%

Cappuccino

$5.51 CHF 4.46

$2.02 ฿67.8

172.77%

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

$5.20 CHF 4.21

$0.85 ฿28.50

511.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 CHF 3.65

$0.36 ฿11.96

1152.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.27 CHF 5.89

$2.14 ฿71.8

239.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.26 CHF 5.07

$3.59 ฿121

74.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 CHF 1.67

$1.65 ฿55.5

25.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 CHF 2.77

$1.57 ฿52.7

117.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.08 CHF 3.30

$1.19 ฿40.02

242.86%

Eggs

$7.52 CHF 6.09

$1.94 ฿65.1

287.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.94 CHF 17.77

$16.19 ฿544

35.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$25.36 CHF 20.54

$2.99 ฿101

748.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.38 CHF 32.70

$10.94 ฿368

269.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 CHF 3.42

$2.71 ฿91.2

55.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 2.04

$1.17 ฿39.25

115.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 CHF 2.46

$1.69 ฿56.7

79.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 CHF 4.08

$1.60 ฿54.0

215.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 CHF 2.21

$1.38 ฿46.54

97.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 CHF 1.86

$1.20 ฿40.45

91.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CHF 2.07

$0.67 ฿22.50

282.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CHF 1.21

$0.56 ฿18.73

166.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.01 CHF 8.92

$4.64 ฿156

137.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.29 CHF 10.76

$17.62 ฿593

-24.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 CHF 1.67

$1.86 ฿62.5

11.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 CHF 1.97

$3.30 ฿111

-26.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.86 CHF 3.13

$0.88 ฿29.68

338.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.2 CHF 79.6

$19.34 ฿650

407.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 CHF 6.27

$1.36 ฿45.90

469.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.21 CHF 3.41

$1.34 ฿44.98

214.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.7 CHF 50.8

$8.21 ฿276

663.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$1.22 ฿41.18

83.61%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.2K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

86.03%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

77.39%

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

$254 CHF 206

$70.7 ฿2,376

259.81%

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

$33.62 CHF 27.24

$14.04 ฿472

139.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CHF 47.04

$17.49 ฿588

232.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.4 CHF 50.5

$42.15 ฿1,417

47.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 CHF 15.21

$6.88 ฿231

172.82%

Cinema Ticket

$25.09 CHF 20.32

$5.92 ฿199

323.82%

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

$3,456 CHF 2,799

$309 ฿10.4K

1020.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.7K CHF 32.1K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

166.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 113

$55.8 ฿1,875

149.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 CHF 49.15

$26.11 ฿878

132.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 118

$83.0 ฿2,792

76.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$198 CHF 160

$70.5 ฿2,369

180.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 CHF 1,017

$432 ฿14.5K

190.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 CHF 849

$239 ฿8,035

338.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 CHF 1,585

$822 ฿27.7K

137.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,697 CHF 1,374

$512 ฿17.2K

231.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

661.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.4K CHF 10.1K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

748.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,205 CHF 3,406

$579 ฿19.5K

625.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

-58.20%

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

Last update for Olten: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,256 in Olten versus $432 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 626% higher in Olten, 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 $103 in Olten versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $571 vs $243 – 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

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

Olten costs about 245% 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 $4,460 per month in Olten and $1,292 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 $3,456 per month in Olten and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 135% more in Olten, 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 $861, than in Olten at $2,973. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Olten it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $2,973 in Olten. 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, Olten makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.