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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,638 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $2,559 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $3,481 in Bålsta.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 48% less than in Bålsta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 36% below, Bålsta is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$13.05 SEK 121

-84.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$69.9 SEK 650

-73.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$9.48 SEK 88.1

-16.46%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$4.28 SEK 39.80

-55.37%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$2.79 SEK 25.97

-69.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$2.41 SEK 22.38

-85.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$7.19 SEK 66.9

-69.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$7.40 SEK 68.8

-48.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.62 SEK 15.03

1.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$2.15 SEK 20.03

-24.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$3.65 SEK 33.91

-67.67%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$3.71 SEK 34.54

-45.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$11.53 SEK 107

37.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$11.81 SEK 110

-74.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$11.55 SEK 107

-6.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.71 SEK 25.23

-3.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.57 SEK 23.94

-52.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.30 SEK 21.43

-26.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.96 SEK 27.53

-46.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.52 SEK 14.10

-13.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.26 SEK 11.71

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.60 SEK 14.84

-58.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.03 SEK 9.54

-45.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$7.32 SEK 68.1

-38.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$10.76 SEK 100

69.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.55 SEK 14.41

18.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.98 SEK 18.45

63.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$3.41 SEK 31.70

-73.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$72.4 SEK 673

-73.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$6.05 SEK 56.2

-77.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.24 SEK 11.52

8.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$83.3 SEK 775

-90.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.92 SEK 17.84

-33.85%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$32.8K SEK 304.6K

-35.41%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$34.8K SEK 323.3K

-35.31%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$52.7 SEK 490

33.11%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$20.59 SEK 192

-33.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$37.27 SEK 347

-52.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$39.89 SEK 371

4.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$24.82 SEK 231

-73.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$13.91 SEK 129

-58.45%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$125 SEK 1,160

145.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$747 SEK 6,948

1884.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$72.6 SEK 675

-25.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$10.72 SEK 99.7

143.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$83.2 SEK 774

1.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$118 SEK 1,095

-41.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$855 SEK 7,952

-50.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$656 SEK 6,097

-63.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$1,404 SEK 13.1K

-41.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,078 SEK 10.0K

-52.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$4,367 SEK 40.6K

-53.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$2,982 SEK 27.7K

-48.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$4,261 SEK 39.6K

-85.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

66.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $855 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 571% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $70.0 in Bålsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $307 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 Bålsta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 92% 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.

On paper, Bålsta earns 571% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $855 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $852 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,638 in Bålsta – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 274% less than in Bålsta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,638 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 $852 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 Bålsta 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 92% less than in Bålsta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.