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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,004 in Boras versus $848 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,800 in Boras versus $1,331 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,597 in Boras versus $1,814 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Boras is roughly 136% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Boras is 50% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.61 SEK 118

$1.96 ฿63.6

543.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 SEK 664

$18.39 ฿598

286.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 SEK 99.6

$7.87 ฿256

35.32%

Cappuccino

$4.60 SEK 42.99

$1.95 ฿63.4

135.90%

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

$2.19 SEK 20.47

$0.85 ฿27.57

157.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 SEK 19.20

$0.32 ฿10.52

540.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.79 SEK 72.8

$2.14 ฿69.6

264.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.27 SEK 68.1

$3.68 ฿120

97.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 SEK 15.01

$1.66 ฿53.9

-3.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 SEK 21.01

$1.56 ฿50.7

44.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 SEK 28.55

$1.19 ฿38.63

156.30%

Eggs

$4.56 SEK 42.65

$1.99 ฿64.7

129.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.15 SEK 123

$16.24 ฿528

-19.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.79 SEK 110

$3.17 ฿103

271.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.21 SEK 161

$10.84 ฿352

58.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 SEK 26.21

$2.65 ฿86.2

5.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 SEK 26.49

$1.22 ฿39.67

131.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 SEK 25.01

$1.65 ฿53.7

61.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 SEK 34.96

$1.55 ฿50.3

141.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 14.47

$1.33 ฿43.17

16.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 14.48

$1.21 ฿39.43

28.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 SEK 13.69

$0.68 ฿22.04

114.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 SEK 14.40

$0.57 ฿18.38

170.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.12 SEK 75.9

$4.68 ฿152

73.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.21 SEK 86.2

$16.99 ฿552

-45.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 SEK 19.09

$1.82 ฿59.3

12.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 SEK 16.07

$3.18 ฿103

-45.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.75 SEK 35.07

$0.91 ฿29.46

312.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.4 SEK 808

$18.74 ฿609

361.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.19 SEK 58.0

$1.41 ฿45.80

339.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SEK 17.58

$1.34 ฿43.52

40.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.1 SEK 609

$8.14 ฿265

699.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 SEK 18.21

$1.28 ฿41.53

52.34%

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

$26.6K SEK 248.9K

$21.8K ฿709.3K

21.93%

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

$25.1K SEK 234.9K

$22.4K ฿728.0K

12.09%

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

$74.5 SEK 696

$70.5 ฿2,291

5.63%

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

$28.84 SEK 270

$14.05 ฿457

105.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.68 SEK 259

$17.65 ฿574

56.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.43 SEK 322

$41.29 ฿1,342

-16.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.31 SEK 227

$6.76 ฿220

259.62%

Cinema Ticket

$16.01 SEK 150

$5.96 ฿194

168.62%

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

$159 SEK 1,488

$303 ฿9,846

-47.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,133 SEK 38.7K

$15.0K ฿486.2K

-72.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 SEK 741

$54.7 ฿1,778

44.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.63 SEK 371

$26.29 ฿854

50.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 SEK 884

$85.8 ฿2,788

10.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 SEK 1,011

$69.7 ฿2,265

55.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 SEK 7,862

$428 ฿13.9K

96.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$900 SEK 8,419

$239 ฿7,769

276.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,411 SEK 13.2K

$811 ฿26.4K

73.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,101 SEK 10.3K

$510 ฿16.6K

116.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,389 SEK 41.1K

$2,025 ฿65.8K

116.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,053 SEK 28.6K

$1,502 ฿48.8K

103.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,529 SEK 23.7K

$623 ฿20.2K

306.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

-4.00%

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

Last update for Boras: June 15, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $840 in Boras and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boras pays 306% 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: $71.0 in Boras vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $343 vs $242 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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 136% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Boras pays 306% 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: $840 in Boras versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,004 per month in Boras versus $848 in Chiang Mai – a 136% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 361% less than in Boras. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $848 in Chiang Mai versus $2,004 in Boras, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Boras. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Boras, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Boras 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 136% less than in Boras. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.