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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,830 per month in Solothurn vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,520 per month in Solothurn vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,211 per month in Solothurn vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Solothurn costs about 229% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Solothurn sits 112% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.23 CHF 25.30

$1.96 ฿65.8

1493.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 CHF 116

$18.35 ฿617

683.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$21.30 CHF 17.25

$7.48 ฿252

184.76%

Cappuccino

$6.53 CHF 5.29

$2.02 ฿67.8

223.27%

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

$5.64 CHF 4.57

$0.85 ฿28.50

563.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.39 CHF 4.37

$0.36 ฿11.96

1397.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 CHF 5.57

$2.14 ฿71.8

221.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.34 CHF 5.14

$3.59 ฿121

76.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$1.65 ฿55.5

34.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 CHF 2.64

$1.57 ฿52.7

107.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CHF 2.64

$1.19 ฿40.02

173.95%

Eggs

$7.20 CHF 5.84

$1.94 ฿65.1

271.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.06 CHF 24.35

$16.19 ฿544

85.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.44 CHF 25.47

$2.99 ฿101

951.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.66 CHF 32.12

$10.94 ฿368

262.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CHF 3.37

$2.71 ฿91.2

53.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.34

$1.17 ฿39.25

147.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 CHF 2.42

$1.69 ฿56.7

76.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 CHF 3.41

$1.60 ฿54.0

163.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CHF 1.56

$1.38 ฿46.54

39.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 CHF 1.63

$1.20 ฿40.45

67.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.06

$0.67 ฿22.50

279.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 CHF 0.86

$0.56 ฿18.73

89.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.01 CHF 8.92

$4.64 ฿156

137.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.73 CHF 7.88

$17.62 ฿593

-44.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 CHF 2.11

$1.86 ฿62.5

40.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 CHF 1.94

$3.30 ฿111

-27.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.66 CHF 2.97

$0.88 ฿29.68

315.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 CHF 78.6

$19.34 ฿650

401.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.59 CHF 6.15

$1.36 ฿45.90

458.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.18 CHF 3.39

$1.34 ฿44.98

211.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$75.1 CHF 60.8

$8.21 ฿276

814.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 CHF 1.89

$1.22 ฿41.18

90.98%

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

$37.2K CHF 30.2K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

74.34%

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

$38.8K CHF 31.5K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

72.42%

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

$96.9 CHF 78.5

$70.7 ฿2,376

37.05%

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

$30.30 CHF 24.54

$14.04 ฿472

115.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 CHF 47.86

$17.49 ฿588

237.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.0 CHF 59.2

$42.15 ฿1,417

73.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.77 CHF 20.06

$6.88 ฿231

260.03%

Cinema Ticket

$25.00 CHF 20.25

$5.92 ฿199

322.30%

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

$3,422 CHF 2,772

$309 ฿10.4K

1009.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K CHF 15.8K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

30.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 113

$55.8 ฿1,875

150.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.89 CHF 35.55

$26.11 ฿878

68.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 CHF 80.4

$83.0 ฿2,792

19.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 CHF 151

$70.5 ฿2,369

164.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 CHF 1,035

$432 ฿14.5K

195.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 CHF 877

$239 ฿8,035

353.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CHF 1,506

$822 ฿27.7K

126.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 CHF 1,420

$512 ฿17.2K

242.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,830 CHF 7,962

$1,915 ฿64.4K

413.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,937 CHF 3,999

$1,467 ฿49.3K

236.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,802 CHF 5,510

$579 ฿19.5K

1074.09%

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 Solothurn: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,278 in Solothurn 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 1074% higher in Solothurn, 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 $144 in Solothurn versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $604 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

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

Solothurn costs about 229% 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 $4,244 per month in Solothurn 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 $3,422 per month in Solothurn 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 148% more in Solothurn, 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 Solothurn at $2,830. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Solothurn it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $2,830 in Solothurn. 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, Solothurn makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.