Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Gallen and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Gallen and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,529 per month in St. Gallen vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,441 per month in St. Gallen vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,353 per month in St. Gallen vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

St. Gallen costs about 310% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

St. Gallen sits 164% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.33 CHF 24.52

$1.96 ฿65.9

1447.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 CHF 119

$18.35 ฿617

702.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.50 CHF 14.96

$7.48 ฿252

147.33%

Cappuccino

$6.36 CHF 5.14

$2.02 ฿67.8

214.85%

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

$5.84 CHF 4.72

$0.85 ฿28.52

587.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 CHF 4.31

$0.36 ฿11.97

1380.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.66 CHF 6.19

$2.14 ฿71.9

257.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 CHF 5.88

$3.59 ฿121

102.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.78

$1.65 ฿55.5

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 CHF 2.15

$1.57 ฿52.7

69.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.53 CHF 2.85

$1.19 ฿40.05

196.64%

Eggs

$8.31 CHF 6.72

$1.94 ฿65.1

328.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.25 CHF 22.03

$16.19 ฿545

68.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.23 CHF 26.06

$2.99 ฿101

977.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.77 CHF 33.77

$10.94 ฿368

281.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 CHF 2.65

$2.71 ฿91.2

20.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 CHF 1.50

$1.17 ฿39.27

58.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 CHF 1.98

$1.69 ฿56.8

44.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.04 CHF 5.69

$1.60 ฿54.0

340.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.04

$1.38 ฿46.56

83.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 CHF 1.88

$1.20 ฿40.47

93.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 CHF 1.92

$0.67 ฿22.51

255.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 CHF 0.90

$0.56 ฿18.74

98.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.80 CHF 8.73

$4.64 ฿156

132.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.53 CHF 9.32

$17.62 ฿593

-34.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$1.86 ฿62.6

17.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 CHF 1.93

$3.30 ฿111

-27.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.21 CHF 3.40

$0.88 ฿29.70

378.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.5 CHF 66.7

$19.34 ฿651

326.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 CHF 5.49

$1.36 ฿45.92

399.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.10 CHF 3.32

$1.34 ฿45.00

205.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.4 CHF 64.2

$8.21 ฿276

866.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.73

$1.22 ฿41.20

75.41%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

90.33%

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

$40.8K CHF 33.0K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

81.20%

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

$324 CHF 262

$70.7 ฿2,378

358.03%

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

$59.4 CHF 48.00

$14.04 ฿472

322.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.2 CHF 42.23

$17.49 ฿589

198.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.7 CHF 66.9

$42.15 ฿1,418

96.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$100 CHF 80.9

$6.88 ฿231

1354.22%

Cinema Ticket

$31.00 CHF 25.06

$5.92 ฿199

423.65%

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

$2,815 CHF 2,276

$309 ฿10.4K

812.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.2K CHF 27.7K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

130.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$145 CHF 117

$55.8 ฿1,876

160.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.6 CHF 52.2

$26.11 ฿879

147.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$159 CHF 128

$83.0 ฿2,793

90.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$233 CHF 188

$70.5 ฿2,371

230.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,816 CHF 1,468

$432 ฿14.5K

320.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,495 CHF 1,208

$239 ฿8,040

525.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,793 CHF 2,258

$822 ฿27.7K

239.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 CHF 1,867

$512 ฿17.2K

351.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K CHF 10.0K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

546.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,105 CHF 7,362

$1,467 ฿49.4K

520.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,998 CHF 5,658

$579 ฿19.5K

1107.87%

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 St. Gallen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,816 in St. Gallen 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 1108% higher in St. Gallen, 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 $147 in St. Gallen versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $610 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

St. Gallen vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St. Gallen costs about 310% 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 $5,293 per month in St. Gallen 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 $2,815 per month in St. Gallen 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 151% more in St. Gallen, 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 St. Gallen at $3,529. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. Gallen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $3,529 in St. Gallen. 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, St. Gallen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.