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: $848 in Chiang Mai versus $1,626 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,331 in Chiang Mai versus $2,547 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,814 in Chiang Mai versus $3,468 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 ฿63.6

$12.98 SEK 121

-84.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$68.9 SEK 644

-73.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$9.65 SEK 90.2

-18.45%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$4.10 SEK 38.37

-52.44%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$2.79 SEK 26.08

-69.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$2.50 SEK 23.39

-87.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$7.26 SEK 68.0

-70.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$7.54 SEK 70.6

-51.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$1.61 SEK 15.02

3.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$2.09 SEK 19.60

-25.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$3.59 SEK 33.62

-66.85%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$3.74 SEK 34.99

-46.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$11.77 SEK 110

37.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$11.86 SEK 111

-73.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$11.72 SEK 110

-7.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$2.57 SEK 24.06

3.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$2.66 SEK 24.85

-54.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$2.35 SEK 21.95

-29.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$2.87 SEK 26.83

-45.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$1.55 SEK 14.48

-14.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$1.30 SEK 12.18

-6.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$1.61 SEK 15.02

-57.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$1.03 SEK 9.63

-44.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$7.47 SEK 69.8

-37.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$10.36 SEK 96.9

64.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$1.54 SEK 14.38

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$1.92 SEK 17.91

65.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$3.36 SEK 31.47

-72.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

$72.6 SEK 679

-74.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$6.13 SEK 57.4

-77.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$1.24 SEK 11.64

8.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$80.6 SEK 754

-89.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$2.01 SEK 18.82

-36.32%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$32.3K SEK 302.2K

-32.45%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$33.6K SEK 314.7K

-33.43%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$51.8 SEK 484

36.17%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$21.10 SEK 197

-33.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$36.03 SEK 337

-51.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$40.88 SEK 382

1.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

$25.03 SEK 234

-72.99%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$13.44 SEK 126

-55.65%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$127 SEK 1,191

137.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$735 SEK 6,872

1936.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$73.2 SEK 685

-25.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$10.66 SEK 99.7

146.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$83.5 SEK 781

2.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$116 SEK 1,087

-40.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$856 SEK 8,008

-49.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$654 SEK 6,117

-63.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$1,387 SEK 13.0K

-41.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$1,065 SEK 9,966

-52.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$3,989 SEK 37.3K

-49.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$3,268 SEK 30.6K

-54.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

$4,094 SEK 38.3K

-84.79%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $856 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 558% 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: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $69.0 in Bålsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 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 558% 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: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $856 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $848 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,626 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 287% less than in Bålsta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $848 in Chiang Mai versus $1,626 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 $848 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.