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 $3,569 per month in St. Gallen vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,433 per month in St. Gallen vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,296 per month in St. Gallen vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

St. Gallen costs about 312% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

St. Gallen sits 166% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.20 CHF 23.81

$1.94 ฿63.5

1456.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 117

$18.64 ฿609

698.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.33 CHF 14.45

$7.82 ฿255

134.40%

Cappuccino

$6.23 CHF 4.91

$1.95 ฿63.8

219.49%

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

$5.87 CHF 4.63

$0.85 ฿27.77

590.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.38 CHF 4.24

$0.35 ฿11.58

1437.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 CHF 5.81

$2.13 ฿69.6

245.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 CHF 5.64

$3.73 ฿122

91.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.76

$1.71 ฿56.0

30.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CHF 2.11

$1.63 ฿53.2

64.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.58 CHF 2.82

$1.14 ฿37.15

214.04%

Eggs

$8.15 CHF 6.42

$1.93 ฿63.1

322.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.21 CHF 21.45

$16.21 ฿530

67.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.59 CHF 25.69

$3.12 ฿102

944.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.95 CHF 32.29

$10.90 ฿356

275.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 CHF 2.47

$2.75 ฿90.0

13.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 CHF 1.46

$1.21 ฿39.52

52.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 CHF 2.03

$1.62 ฿53.0

59.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.26 CHF 5.72

$1.59 ฿51.8

356.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CHF 2.02

$1.40 ฿45.70

82.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.85

$1.17 ฿38.17

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 CHF 1.84

$0.66 ฿21.60

254.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 CHF 0.87

$0.53 ฿17.22

109.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.04 CHF 8.71

$4.69 ฿153

135.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.81 CHF 9.31

$18.66 ฿609

-36.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 CHF 1.70

$1.80 ฿58.8

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 CHF 1.82

$3.23 ฿106

-28.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.32 CHF 3.41

$0.90 ฿29.26

380.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.6 CHF 63.5

$19.21 ฿628

319.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 CHF 5.41

$1.41 ฿45.91

386.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.20 CHF 3.31

$1.29 ฿42.12

225.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.0 CHF 62.3

$7.84 ฿256

907.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 CHF 1.66

$1.27 ฿41.58

65.35%

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

$39.9K CHF 31.5K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

87.66%

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

$41.5K CHF 32.7K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

86.63%

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

$332 CHF 262

$69.1 ฿2,256

380.40%

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

$59.3 CHF 46.73

$14.08 ฿460

320.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 CHF 41.63

$18.00 ฿588

193.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.2 CHF 64.1

$41.06 ฿1,341

97.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$99.3 CHF 78.3

$6.96 ฿227

1327.30%

Cinema Ticket

$30.30 CHF 23.89

$5.92 ฿193

411.82%

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

$2,792 CHF 2,202

$299 ฿9,766

833.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.9K CHF 27.5K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

133.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$148 CHF 117

$54.7 ฿1,787

170.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.8 CHF 51.1

$26.77 ฿874

141.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$156 CHF 123

$85.0 ฿2,776

84.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$238 CHF 187

$70.6 ฿2,306

236.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,814 CHF 1,431

$428 ฿14.0K

323.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 CHF 1,203

$237 ฿7,752

542.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,733 CHF 2,154

$801 ฿26.2K

240.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 CHF 1,868

$515 ฿16.8K

359.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K CHF 8,511

$1,975 ฿64.5K

446.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,655 CHF 6,823

$1,475 ฿48.2K

486.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,138 CHF 5,628

$617 ฿20.2K

1056.05%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,814 in St. Gallen 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 1056% 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 $149 in St. Gallen versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $611 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

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

St. Gallen costs about 312% 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 $5,354 per month in St. Gallen 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 $2,792 per month in St. Gallen 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 148% 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 $866, than in St. Gallen at $3,569. 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 $866 versus $3,569 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.