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 $3,518 per month in Thun vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,320 per month in Thun vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,122 per month in Thun vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Thun costs about 309% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Thun sits 163% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.19 CHF 22.83

$1.96 ฿65.8

1338.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 98.6

$18.35 ฿617

563.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.95 CHF 13.73

$7.48 ฿252

126.60%

Cappuccino

$6.01 CHF 4.87

$2.02 ฿67.8

197.52%

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

$4.73 CHF 3.83

$0.85 ฿28.50

456.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 CHF 3.86

$0.36 ฿11.96

1225.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.20 CHF 6.64

$2.14 ฿71.8

283.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.80 CHF 6.32

$3.59 ฿121

117.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.75

$1.65 ฿55.5

30.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CHF 2.67

$1.57 ฿52.7

109.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.10 CHF 3.32

$1.19 ฿40.02

244.54%

Eggs

$7.16 CHF 5.80

$1.94 ฿65.1

269.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.07 CHF 21.93

$16.19 ฿544

67.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.91 CHF 23.42

$2.99 ฿101

866.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.40 CHF 33.53

$10.94 ฿368

278.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 CHF 2.88

$2.71 ฿91.2

31.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$1.17 ฿39.25

87.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 CHF 2.22

$1.69 ฿56.7

62.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.45 CHF 5.22

$1.60 ฿54.0

303.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 CHF 1.74

$1.38 ฿46.54

55.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$1.20 ฿40.45

86.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.06

$0.67 ฿22.50

279.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CHF 0.93

$0.56 ฿18.73

103.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.30 CHF 9.15

$4.64 ฿156

143.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.19 CHF 9.87

$17.62 ฿593

-30.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CHF 1.54

$1.86 ฿62.5

2.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 CHF 1.90

$3.30 ฿111

-28.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 CHF 3.09

$0.88 ฿29.68

334.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.6 CHF 79.0

$19.34 ฿650

404.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.21

$1.36 ฿45.90

463.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.29 CHF 2.67

$1.34 ฿44.98

145.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.3 CHF 53.7

$8.21 ฿276

708.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.73

$1.22 ฿41.18

75.41%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

87.27%

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

$41.6K CHF 33.7K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

84.48%

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

$376 CHF 304

$70.7 ฿2,376

431.72%

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

$59.0 CHF 47.76

$14.04 ฿472

320.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CHF 46.86

$17.49 ฿588

230.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.2 CHF 70.7

$42.15 ฿1,417

106.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$24.20 CHF 19.60

$5.92 ฿199

308.78%

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

$3,051 CHF 2,472

$309 ฿10.4K

888.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.7K CHF 28.1K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

133.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$153 CHF 124

$55.8 ฿1,875

175.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.4 CHF 57.0

$26.11 ฿878

169.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$175 CHF 141

$83.0 ฿2,792

110.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$182 CHF 148

$70.5 ฿2,369

158.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,714 CHF 1,388

$432 ฿14.5K

296.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 CHF 1,203

$239 ฿8,035

521.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,873 CHF 2,327

$822 ฿27.7K

249.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 CHF 1,960

$512 ฿17.2K

372.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,289 CHF 5,904

$1,467 ฿49.3K

396.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,799 CHF 4,697

$579 ฿19.5K

900.83%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,714 in Thun 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 901% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $597 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

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

Thun costs about 309% 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 $5,277 per month in Thun 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 $3,051 per month in Thun 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 145% 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 $861, than in Thun at $3,518. 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 $861 versus $3,518 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.