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 $3,132 per month in Schaffhausen vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,926 per month in Schaffhausen vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,720 per month in Schaffhausen vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Schaffhausen costs about 261% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Schaffhausen sits 133% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.39 CHF 24.13

$1.98 ฿64.3

1434.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 CHF 98.7

$18.80 ฿612

561.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.82 CHF 12.56

$7.75 ฿252

104.13%

Cappuccino

$5.42 CHF 4.30

$1.92 ฿62.5

182.29%

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

$5.36 CHF 4.26

$0.79 ฿25.79

578.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 CHF 3.47

$0.36 ฿11.62

1113.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 CHF 6.32

$2.21 ฿72.1

259.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 CHF 5.84

$3.66 ฿119

100.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 CHF 1.56

$1.65 ฿53.8

18.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.77 CHF 2.99

$1.63 ฿53.2

131.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 CHF 2.86

$1.19 ฿38.86

203.36%

Eggs

$7.87 CHF 6.25

$2.00 ฿65.1

293.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.45 CHF 23.38

$15.98 ฿520

84.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.04 CHF 27.82

$3.03 ฿98.5

1056.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.8 CHF 41.11

$10.86 ฿354

376.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CHF 2.92

$2.76 ฿90.0

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.85

$1.18 ฿38.42

97.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 CHF 2.34

$1.64 ฿53.5

79.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.14 CHF 4.88

$1.52 ฿49.51

303.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 CHF 1.92

$1.38 ฿45.10

75.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 1.98

$1.19 ฿38.84

109.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CHF 2.03

$0.70 ฿22.86

265.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 CHF 1.01

$0.56 ฿18.13

128.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 CHF 8.71

$4.58 ฿149

139.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.33 CHF 9.79

$16.56 ฿539

-25.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 CHF 1.09

$1.83 ฿59.5

-25.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 CHF 2.15

$3.20 ฿104

-15.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.98 CHF 3.16

$0.88 ฿28.56

352.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.3 CHF 69.3

$18.72 ฿610

366.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.15 CHF 8.05

$1.36 ฿44.16

646.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.89 CHF 3.09

$1.34 ฿43.65

190.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.6 CHF 48.08

$7.84 ฿256

672.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.75

$1.23 ฿39.92

79.67%

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

$40.3K CHF 32.0K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

86.35%

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

$42.6K CHF 33.8K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

89.02%

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

$247 CHF 196

$70.5 ฿2,298

249.87%

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

$28.92 CHF 22.96

$13.68 ฿445

111.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.93 CHF 34.87

$17.45 ฿568

151.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 CHF 86.6

$41.33 ฿1,346

163.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.61 CHF 37.80

$6.96 ฿227

584.05%

Cinema Ticket

$22.53 CHF 17.89

$5.77 ฿188

290.47%

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

$3,388 CHF 2,689

$307 ฿10.0K

1003.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.4K CHF 33.7K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

190.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 CHF 88.5

$55.8 ฿1,817

99.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.4 CHF 52.7

$26.21 ฿854

153.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 CHF 103

$85.8 ฿2,793

50.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 CHF 123

$72.2 ฿2,353

114.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 CHF 966

$430 ฿14.0K

183.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 CHF 970

$239 ฿7,774

412.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,692 CHF 2,138

$817 ฿26.6K

229.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,197 CHF 1,744

$511 ฿16.6K

330.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,390 CHF 6,661

$1,983 ฿64.6K

323.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,769 CHF 5,374

$1,484 ฿48.3K

356.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,336 CHF 7,412

$619 ฿20.2K

1408.74%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,216 in Schaffhausen versus $430 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 1409% 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: $672 vs $241 – 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 261% 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 $4,699 per month in Schaffhausen and $1,303 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 $3,388 per month in Schaffhausen and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 179% 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 $869, than in Schaffhausen at $3,132. 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 $869 versus $3,132 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.