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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,812 in Almhult.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $2,860 in Almhult.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $3,907 in Almhult.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 52% less than in Almhult, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$13.52 SEK 126

-85.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$90.6 SEK 846

-79.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$10.61 SEK 99.0

-26.30%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$4.97 SEK 46.34

-60.76%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$2.98 SEK 27.81

-71.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$2.66 SEK 24.83

-86.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$7.06 SEK 65.9

-69.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$7.83 SEK 73.1

-52.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.76 SEK 16.41

-2.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$3.00 SEK 28.00

-45.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$3.33 SEK 31.03

-65.77%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$3.86 SEK 35.99

-50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.67 SEK 109

38.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$12.32 SEK 115

-74.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$17.74 SEK 165

-38.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.68 SEK 25.01

2.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.40 SEK 22.40

-49.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.94 SEK 27.42

-44.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$4.31 SEK 40.23

-63.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.73 SEK 16.15

-19.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.35 SEK 12.62

-13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.54 SEK 14.34

-57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.61 SEK 15.06

-67.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$6.72 SEK 62.7

-30.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$15.04 SEK 140

24.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.54 SEK 14.39

16.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.57 SEK 23.97

25.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$3.45 SEK 32.16

-73.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$74.1 SEK 692

-74.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$10.14 SEK 94.6

-86.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.66 SEK 15.53

-22.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$63.3 SEK 591

-87.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.97 SEK 18.35

-35.53%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$32.5K SEK 303.2K

-34.51%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$35.1K SEK 327.2K

-36.66%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$138 SEK 1,283

-49.77%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$24.92 SEK 233

-43.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$38.30 SEK 357

-53.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$40.57 SEK 379

1.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$24.85 SEK 232

-71.99%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$17.96 SEK 168

-67.04%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$177 SEK 1,650

69.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$4,089 SEK 38.2K

265.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$89.8 SEK 838

-39.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$39.76 SEK 371

-32.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$95.9 SEK 895

-11.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$156 SEK 1,452

-54.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$849 SEK 7,923

-49.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$660 SEK 6,154

-64.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,405 SEK 13.1K

-42.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,091 SEK 10.2K

-52.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$3,888 SEK 36.3K

-49.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$3,396 SEK 31.7K

-56.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

15.47%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Almhult: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $849 in Almhult. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $91.0 in Almhult for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $364 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

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

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 109% lower than in Almhult. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,300 in Chiang Mai and $2,718 in Almhult to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $849 in Almhult. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 286% less than in Almhult. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $299 in Chiang Mai versus $177 in Almhult. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,812 in Almhult, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Almhult. 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 $866 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Almhult 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 109% less than in Almhult. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.