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 $2,824 per month in Solothurn vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,426 per month in Solothurn vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,029 per month in Solothurn vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Solothurn costs about 226% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Solothurn sits 111% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.88 CHF 24.35

$1.94 ฿63.5

1491.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 CHF 113

$18.64 ฿609

665.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.70 CHF 16.32

$7.82 ฿255

164.71%

Cappuccino

$6.63 CHF 5.23

$1.95 ฿63.8

240.00%

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

$5.61 CHF 4.42

$0.85 ฿27.77

560.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 CHF 4.04

$0.35 ฿11.58

1365.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.64 CHF 5.24

$2.13 ฿69.6

211.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.24 CHF 4.92

$3.73 ฿122

67.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$1.71 ฿56.0

32.16%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 CHF 2.70

$1.63 ฿53.2

110.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.39 CHF 2.67

$1.14 ฿37.15

197.37%

Eggs

$7.47 CHF 5.89

$1.93 ฿63.1

287.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.54 CHF 23.29

$16.21 ฿530

82.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$30.76 CHF 24.25

$3.12 ฿102

885.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$38.99 CHF 30.74

$10.90 ฿356

257.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 CHF 3.33

$2.75 ฿90.0

53.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 CHF 2.28

$1.21 ฿39.52

139.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 CHF 2.46

$1.62 ฿53.0

92.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 CHF 3.42

$1.59 ฿51.8

172.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CHF 1.52

$1.40 ฿45.70

37.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 CHF 1.59

$1.17 ฿38.17

72.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CHF 1.97

$0.66 ฿21.60

278.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 CHF 0.84

$0.53 ฿17.22

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.30 CHF 8.91

$4.69 ฿153

140.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.27 CHF 8.09

$18.66 ฿609

-44.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 CHF 2.09

$1.80 ฿58.8

47.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 CHF 1.92

$3.23 ฿106

-24.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.60 CHF 2.84

$0.90 ฿29.26

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.1 CHF 77.4

$19.21 ฿628

410.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.05

$1.41 ฿45.91

443.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.19 CHF 3.30

$1.29 ฿42.12

224.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$73.1 CHF 57.6

$7.84 ฿256

832.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.82

$1.27 ฿41.58

81.10%

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

$38.3K CHF 30.2K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

79.82%

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

$37.8K CHF 29.8K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

70.10%

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

$100 CHF 78.9

$69.1 ฿2,256

44.82%

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

$30.95 CHF 24.40

$14.08 ฿460

119.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 CHF 45.53

$18.00 ฿588

220.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 CHF 58.3

$41.06 ฿1,341

80.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.25 CHF 19.12

$6.96 ฿227

248.42%

Cinema Ticket

$24.39 CHF 19.23

$5.92 ฿193

311.99%

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

$3,424 CHF 2,700

$299 ฿9,766

1045.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.8K CHF 15.6K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

32.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 111

$54.7 ฿1,787

156.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.53 CHF 33.53

$26.77 ฿874

58.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 CHF 78.3

$85.0 ฿2,776

16.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 CHF 148

$70.6 ฿2,306

166.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 CHF 997

$428 ฿14.0K

195.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 CHF 840

$237 ฿7,752

348.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,854 CHF 1,462

$801 ฿26.2K

131.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,755 CHF 1,384

$515 ฿16.8K

240.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.3K CHF 8,088

$1,975 ฿64.5K

419.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,092 CHF 4,014

$1,475 ฿48.2K

245.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,149 CHF 5,636

$617 ฿20.2K

1057.79%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,265 in Solothurn versus $428 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 1058% 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 $143 in Solothurn versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $604 vs $246 – 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 226% 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 $4,236 per month in Solothurn and $1,300 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 $3,424 per month in Solothurn and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 145% 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 $866, than in Solothurn at $2,824. 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 $866 versus $2,824 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.