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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,592 in Bålsta versus $869 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,508 in Bålsta versus $1,362 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,424 in Bålsta versus $1,855 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bålsta is roughly 83% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bålsta is 18% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.97 SEK 122

$1.98 ฿64.3

555.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.6 SEK 652

$18.80 ฿612

270.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 SEK 89.3

$7.75 ฿252

22.84%

Cappuccino

$4.26 SEK 39.97

$1.92 ฿62.5

121.88%

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

$2.84 SEK 26.66

$0.79 ฿25.79

259.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SEK 22.63

$0.36 ฿11.62

569.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.49 SEK 70.3

$2.21 ฿72.1

238.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.26 SEK 68.2

$3.66 ฿119

98.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 SEK 14.45

$1.65 ฿53.8

-6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 SEK 19.29

$1.63 ฿53.2

26.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 SEK 34.32

$1.19 ฿38.86

207.56%

Eggs

$3.69 SEK 34.62

$2.00 ฿65.1

84.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.77 SEK 110

$15.98 ฿520

-26.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.01 SEK 113

$3.03 ฿98.5

296.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.40 SEK 107

$10.86 ฿354

4.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 SEK 24.28

$2.76 ฿90.0

-6.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 SEK 25.24

$1.18 ฿38.42

127.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 SEK 21.62

$1.64 ฿53.5

40.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 SEK 27.94

$1.52 ฿49.51

96.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 14.50

$1.38 ฿45.10

12.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 SEK 12.17

$1.19 ฿38.84

9.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 SEK 15.15

$0.70 ฿22.86

130.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 SEK 10.07

$0.56 ฿18.13

91.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.58 SEK 71.1

$4.58 ฿149

65.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.33 SEK 96.9

$16.56 ฿539

-37.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SEK 15.14

$1.83 ฿59.5

-12.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SEK 17.75

$3.20 ฿104

-40.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.31 SEK 31.03

$0.88 ฿28.56

276.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.9 SEK 684

$18.72 ฿610

289.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 SEK 57.3

$1.36 ฿44.16

348.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 SEK 11.24

$1.34 ฿43.65

-10.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$83.0 SEK 778

$7.84 ฿256

958.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 SEK 17.89

$1.23 ฿39.92

55.28%

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

$32.4K SEK 303.9K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

49.83%

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

$34.2K SEK 321.2K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

51.86%

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

$51.8 SEK 486

$70.5 ฿2,298

-26.58%

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

$21.14 SEK 198

$13.68 ฿445

54.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.91 SEK 337

$17.45 ฿568

105.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.95 SEK 375

$41.33 ฿1,346

-3.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.28 SEK 237

$6.96 ฿227

263.22%

Cinema Ticket

$13.45 SEK 126

$5.77 ฿188

133.10%

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

$129 SEK 1,206

$307 ฿10.0K

-58.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$736 SEK 6,904

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-94.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.6 SEK 700

$55.8 ฿1,817

33.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.50 SEK 98.5

$26.21 ฿854

-59.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 SEK 788

$85.8 ฿2,793

-2.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 SEK 1,099

$72.2 ฿2,353

62.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 SEK 7,825

$430 ฿14.0K

94.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 SEK 6,146

$239 ฿7,774

174.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 SEK 12.9K

$817 ฿26.6K

68.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 SEK 10.2K

$511 ฿16.6K

112.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,805 SEK 45.1K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

142.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,705 SEK 25.4K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

82.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,170 SEK 39.1K

$619 ฿20.2K

573.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-40.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bålsta: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $834 in Bålsta and $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 574% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70.0 in Bålsta vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $241 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

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

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 83% lower than in Bålsta. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Bålsta pays 574% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $834 in Bålsta versus $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,592 per month in Bålsta versus $869 in Chiang Mai – a 83% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 289% less than in Bålsta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $869 in Chiang Mai versus $1,592 in Bålsta, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bålsta. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $869 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bålsta and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Bålsta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.