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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,548 per month in Thun vs $872 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,381 per month in Thun vs $1,337 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,214 per month in Thun vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Thun costs about 307% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Thun sits 163% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.75 CHF 21.73

$2.01 ฿64.5

1280.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 95.8

$18.23 ฿584

570.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.27 CHF 13.52

$7.65 ฿245

125.75%

Cappuccino

$5.81 CHF 4.55

$1.92 ฿61.5

202.60%

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

$4.82 CHF 3.77

$0.84 ฿26.97

473.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 CHF 3.64

$0.36 ฿11.42

1191.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.38 CHF 6.56

$2.19 ฿70.2

282.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.75 CHF 6.07

$3.79 ฿121

104.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.75

$1.64 ฿52.5

36.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 CHF 2.65

$1.62 ฿52.0

108.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.11 CHF 3.22

$1.15 ฿36.98

257.39%

Eggs

$7.14 CHF 5.59

$1.94 ฿62.2

268.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.35 CHF 20.63

$15.94 ฿511

65.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.15 CHF 22.04

$3.10 ฿99.5

808.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.83 CHF 31.97

$11.07 ฿355

268.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 CHF 2.68

$2.71 ฿86.8

26.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 CHF 1.69

$1.18 ฿37.80

83.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 CHF 2.21

$1.71 ฿54.7

64.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 CHF 5.01

$1.61 ฿51.5

297.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 CHF 1.77

$1.39 ฿44.66

62.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 CHF 1.69

$1.15 ฿36.81

87.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 1.97

$0.71 ฿22.83

253.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 CHF 0.86

$0.55 ฿17.65

98.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.98 CHF 8.60

$4.57 ฿146

140.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.83 CHF 10.05

$18.87 ฿605

-32.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 CHF 1.54

$1.82 ฿58.4

7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 CHF 1.78

$3.21 ฿103

-29.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.88 CHF 3.04

$0.88 ฿28.24

340.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.0 CHF 77.6

$18.89 ฿606

424.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 CHF 6.08

$1.41 ฿45.30

451.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 CHF 2.59

$1.30 ฿41.71

154.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.8 CHF 51.5

$8.20 ฿263

701.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.68

$1.23 ฿39.29

73.98%

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

$40.8K CHF 32.0K

$21.2K ฿678.9K

92.83%

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

$41.8K CHF 32.7K

$22.3K ฿715.3K

87.32%

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

$370 CHF 290

$69.9 ฿2,240

429.34%

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

$59.3 CHF 46.46

$14.07 ฿451

321.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 CHF 45.22

$17.70 ฿567

226.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.1 CHF 68.2

$41.41 ฿1,328

110.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$24.98 CHF 19.56

$5.74 ฿184

335.19%

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

$3,021 CHF 2,365

$299 ฿9,593

909.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.4K CHF 26.2K

$15.0K ฿481.2K

122.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$149 CHF 117

$54.8 ฿1,758

172.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.3 CHF 54.2

$26.35 ฿845

162.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$176 CHF 138

$84.7 ฿2,714

108.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$183 CHF 143

$69.7 ฿2,236

161.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,684 CHF 1,319

$427 ฿13.7K

294.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,447 CHF 1,133

$241 ฿7,718

500.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,888 CHF 2,261

$811 ฿26.0K

256.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,442 CHF 1,912

$498 ฿16.0K

390.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,747 CHF 6,066

$1,524 ฿48.9K

408.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,547 CHF 5,126

$639 ฿20.5K

924.27%

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 Thun: April 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,684 in Thun versus $427 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 924% higher in Thun, 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 $122 in Thun versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $591 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

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

Thun costs about 307% 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 $5,322 per month in Thun and $1,308 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 $3,021 per month in Thun 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 140% more in Thun, 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 $872, than in Thun at $3,548. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thun it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $872 versus $3,548 in Thun. 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, Thun makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.