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 $3,218 per month in Schaffhausen vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,962 per month in Schaffhausen vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,705 per month in Schaffhausen vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Schaffhausen costs about 278% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Schaffhausen sits 140% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.87 CHF 24.42

$1.96 ฿64.0

1475.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 CHF 98.3

$18.81 ฿615

560.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.15 CHF 12.78

$7.92 ฿259

103.91%

Cappuccino

$5.46 CHF 4.32

$1.91 ฿62.6

185.86%

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

$5.36 CHF 4.24

$0.84 ฿27.41

538.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 CHF 3.47

$0.35 ฿11.51

1151.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.84 CHF 6.20

$2.21 ฿72.1

254.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 CHF 5.73

$3.80 ฿124

90.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 CHF 1.50

$1.64 ฿53.5

15.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.76 CHF 2.97

$1.62 ฿53.1

132.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.53 CHF 2.79

$1.18 ฿38.62

199.15%

Eggs

$7.89 CHF 6.24

$2.01 ฿65.8

292.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.77 CHF 23.55

$15.89 ฿520

87.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$34.92 CHF 27.62

$3.01 ฿98.5

1060.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.0 CHF 41.17

$10.77 ฿352

383.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.63 CHF 2.87

$2.61 ฿85.5

39.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 CHF 1.82

$1.22 ฿39.88

88.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 CHF 2.35

$1.70 ฿55.7

74.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.02 CHF 4.76

$1.58 ฿51.5

281.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 CHF 1.88

$1.32 ฿43.14

80.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.89

$1.17 ฿38.23

105.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 CHF 2.10

$0.67 ฿21.98

297.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 CHF 1.01

$0.56 ฿18.32

126.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.12 CHF 8.80

$4.53 ฿148

145.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.99 CHF 11.06

$18.20 ฿595

-23.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 CHF 1.09

$1.83 ฿60.0

-24.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 CHF 2.15

$3.23 ฿106

-15.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 CHF 3.12

$0.89 ฿29.00

343.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.5 CHF 66.9

$19.38 ฿634

336.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.98 CHF 7.89

$1.35 ฿44.20

639.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.04 CHF 3.19

$1.35 ฿44.05

199.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.9 CHF 48.17

$8.25 ฿270

638.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.74

$1.27 ฿41.64

73.23%

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

$41.0K CHF 32.4K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

93.75%

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

$41.9K CHF 33.2K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

86.44%

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

$242 CHF 191

$70.2 ฿2,294

244.73%

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

$28.98 CHF 22.92

$13.77 ฿450

110.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.55 CHF 34.45

$17.60 ฿575

147.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 CHF 85.8

$41.57 ฿1,360

160.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.70 CHF 36.94

$6.60 ฿216

607.58%

Cinema Ticket

$22.33 CHF 17.67

$5.78 ฿189

286.33%

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

$3,279 CHF 2,593

$306 ฿10.0K

970.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.1K CHF 33.3K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

183.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 CHF 91.1

$54.4 ฿1,778

111.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.9 CHF 54.5

$26.14 ฿855

163.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 CHF 106

$84.5 ฿2,764

58.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 CHF 121

$69.4 ฿2,270

120.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 CHF 950

$424 ฿13.9K

183.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 CHF 982

$238 ฿7,788

421.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,731 CHF 2,160

$825 ฿27.0K

231.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 CHF 1,701

$515 ฿16.8K

317.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,618 CHF 6,817

$2,049 ฿67.0K

320.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,757 CHF 5,344

$1,523 ฿49.8K

343.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,429 CHF 7,458

$635 ฿20.8K

1384.39%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,201 in Schaffhausen versus $424 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 1384% 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 $124 in Schaffhausen versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $674 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

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

Schaffhausen costs about 278% 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 $4,827 per month in Schaffhausen and $1,278 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 $3,279 per month in Schaffhausen and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 177% 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 $3,218. 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 $3,218 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.