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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,172 per month in Schaffhausen vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,917 per month in Schaffhausen vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,663 per month in Schaffhausen vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Schaffhausen costs about 272% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Schaffhausen sits 138% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.37 CHF 25.28

$2.04 ฿68.1

1437.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 CHF 97.3

$18.71 ฿624

545.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.03 CHF 12.92

$7.86 ฿262

103.94%

Cappuccino

$5.46 CHF 4.40

$2.03 ฿67.6

168.97%

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

$5.27 CHF 4.25

$0.80 ฿26.63

558.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 CHF 3.42

$0.35 ฿11.68

1111.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.03 CHF 6.47

$2.14 ฿71.5

275.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.24 CHF 5.84

$3.67 ฿122

97.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 CHF 1.59

$1.73 ฿57.6

13.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 CHF 3.10

$1.57 ฿52.4

144.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.60 CHF 2.90

$1.20 ฿39.98

200.00%

Eggs

$7.55 CHF 6.08

$1.97 ฿65.8

283.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.38 CHF 23.67

$16.23 ฿541

81.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.38 CHF 28.51

$3.06 ฿102

1056.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.4 CHF 41.40

$10.80 ฿360

375.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 CHF 3.03

$2.77 ฿92.3

35.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 CHF 1.82

$1.17 ฿38.93

92.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 CHF 2.30

$1.71 ฿56.9

67.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.18 CHF 4.98

$1.59 ฿53.2

288.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.01

$1.39 ฿46.49

79.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.94

$1.16 ฿38.55

107.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 CHF 2.14

$0.66 ฿22.05

303.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 CHF 1.00

$0.52 ฿17.30

138.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.06 CHF 8.91

$4.65 ฿155

137.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.15 CHF 10.60

$17.78 ฿593

-26.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 CHF 1.05

$1.79 ฿59.6

-27.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 CHF 2.22

$3.34 ฿111

-17.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.92 CHF 3.16

$0.91 ฿30.26

330.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.7 CHF 69.9

$18.64 ฿622

365.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.10 CHF 8.14

$1.41 ฿47.02

616.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.01 CHF 3.23

$1.34 ฿44.69

199.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.1 CHF 50.1

$8.11 ฿270

665.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$1.23 ฿41.14

82.11%

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

$40.4K CHF 32.5K

$21.4K ฿714.9K

88.35%

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

$41.8K CHF 33.7K

$21.8K ฿727.8K

91.46%

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

$243 CHF 196

$71.3 ฿2,379

240.81%

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

$28.17 CHF 22.70

$14.01 ฿467

101.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.66 CHF 34.38

$17.93 ฿598

137.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 CHF 90.1

$40.82 ฿1,361

173.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.47 CHF 37.45

$6.88 ฿230

575.44%

Cinema Ticket

$21.84 CHF 17.60

$5.72 ฿191

281.82%

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

$3,339 CHF 2,691

$308 ฿10.3K

983.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.3K CHF 34.1K

$14.7K ฿489.5K

188.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 CHF 90.3

$55.8 ฿1,860

100.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.1 CHF 54.8

$26.04 ฿868

161.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 CHF 108

$84.8 ฿2,828

57.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 CHF 124

$71.0 ฿2,368

115.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 CHF 988

$423 ฿14.1K

189.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 CHF 977

$242 ฿8,086

399.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,719 CHF 2,191

$797 ฿26.6K

241.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,135 CHF 1,721

$507 ฿16.9K

321.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,284 CHF 6,675

$1,918 ฿64.0K

331.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,576 CHF 6,910

$1,464 ฿48.8K

485.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,375 CHF 5,943

$595 ฿19.8K

1139.43%

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 Schaffhausen: July 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,227 in Schaffhausen 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 1139% higher in Schaffhausen, 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 $121 in Schaffhausen versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $673 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

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

Schaffhausen costs about 272% 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 $4,758 per month in Schaffhausen 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 $3,339 per month in Schaffhausen 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 175% more in Schaffhausen, 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 Schaffhausen at $3,172. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Schaffhausen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $3,172 in Schaffhausen. 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, Schaffhausen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.