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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,423 per month in Staefa vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,287 per month in Staefa vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,152 per month in Staefa vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Staefa costs about 294% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Staefa sits 155% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.40 CHF 24.14

$1.98 ฿64.3

1435.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 CHF 118

$18.80 ฿612

688.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.33 CHF 14.56

$7.75 ฿252

136.52%

Cappuccino

$6.32 CHF 5.01

$1.92 ฿62.5

229.17%

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

$5.75 CHF 4.57

$0.79 ฿25.79

627.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 CHF 4.19

$0.36 ฿11.62

1363.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.68 CHF 6.10

$2.21 ฿72.1

247.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.21 CHF 5.72

$3.66 ฿119

96.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.78

$1.65 ฿53.8

36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CHF 2.19

$1.63 ฿53.2

68.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 CHF 2.89

$1.19 ฿38.86

205.04%

Eggs

$7.86 CHF 6.24

$2.00 ฿65.1

293.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.86 CHF 22.12

$15.98 ฿520

74.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.36 CHF 25.69

$3.03 ฿98.5

967.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.7 CHF 40.22

$10.86 ฿354

366.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 CHF 2.51

$2.76 ฿90.0

14.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 CHF 2.21

$1.18 ฿38.42

135.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 CHF 2.41

$1.64 ฿53.5

85.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.26 CHF 4.17

$1.52 ฿49.51

246.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 CHF 2.25

$1.38 ฿45.10

105.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 CHF 1.89

$1.19 ฿38.84

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CHF 1.98

$0.70 ฿22.86

257.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CHF 0.96

$0.56 ฿18.13

116.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.19 CHF 8.89

$4.58 ฿149

144.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 CHF 11.81

$16.56 ฿539

-10.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 CHF 2.19

$1.83 ฿59.5

50.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 CHF 1.90

$3.20 ฿104

-25.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.96 CHF 3.15

$0.88 ฿28.56

350.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.1 CHF 77.9

$18.72 ฿610

424.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.91 CHF 5.48

$1.36 ฿44.16

408.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.16 CHF 3.30

$1.34 ฿43.65

210.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.78 CHF 34.76

$7.84 ฿256

458.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.78

$1.23 ฿39.92

82.11%

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

$41.2K CHF 32.7K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

90.59%

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

$39.8K CHF 31.6K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

76.64%

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

$260 CHF 206

$70.5 ฿2,298

268.42%

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

$36.00 CHF 28.58

$13.68 ฿445

163.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.4 CHF 41.58

$17.45 ฿568

200.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.2 CHF 70.0

$41.33 ฿1,346

113.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$24.37 CHF 19.35

$5.77 ฿188

322.36%

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

$2,875 CHF 2,283

$307 ฿10.0K

836.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.6K CHF 31.4K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

170.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 110

$55.8 ฿1,817

149.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 CHF 48.90

$26.21 ฿854

134.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 118

$85.8 ฿2,793

74.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$199 CHF 158

$72.2 ฿2,353

175.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 CHF 1,323

$430 ฿14.0K

287.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,487 CHF 1,180

$239 ฿7,774

522.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,853 CHF 2,265

$817 ฿26.6K

249.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,471 CHF 1,962

$511 ฿16.6K

383.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.9K CHF 11.8K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

649.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.7K CHF 10.1K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

758.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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 Staefa: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,667 in Staefa 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $148 in Staefa versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $650 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

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

Staefa costs about 294% 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 $5,134 per month in Staefa 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 $2,875 per month in Staefa 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 170% more in Staefa, 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 Staefa at $3,423. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Staefa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $3,423 in Staefa. 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, Staefa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.