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 $1,596 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $2,543 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $3,490 in Bålsta.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 47% less than in Bålsta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 36% below, Bålsta is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$13.40 SEK 127

-84.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$69.6 SEK 661

-73.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$9.18 SEK 87.2

-14.38%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$4.17 SEK 39.60

-51.32%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$2.69 SEK 25.54

-70.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$2.47 SEK 23.47

-85.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$7.56 SEK 71.8

-71.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$7.43 SEK 70.6

-50.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.61 SEK 15.28

7.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$2.09 SEK 19.83

-24.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$3.75 SEK 35.58

-68.00%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$3.81 SEK 36.22

-48.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$11.47 SEK 109

41.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$11.86 SEK 113

-74.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$11.81 SEK 112

-8.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.67 SEK 25.35

3.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.59 SEK 24.64

-54.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.30 SEK 21.86

-25.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.92 SEK 27.75

-45.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.54 SEK 14.63

-9.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.25 SEK 11.91

-7.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.62 SEK 15.35

-59.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.08 SEK 10.23

-51.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$7.59 SEK 72.1

-38.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$10.13 SEK 96.2

75.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.62 SEK 15.36

10.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.90 SEK 18.03

75.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$3.47 SEK 33.01

-73.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$73.3 SEK 696

-74.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$6.15 SEK 58.5

-77.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.23 SEK 11.71

8.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$82.5 SEK 784

-90.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.94 SEK 18.44

-36.60%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$32.9K SEK 312.2K

-34.77%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$34.0K SEK 322.6K

-35.74%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$52.4 SEK 498

36.13%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$20.96 SEK 199

-33.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$37.17 SEK 353

-51.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$41.28 SEK 392

-1.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$24.99 SEK 237

-72.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$13.88 SEK 132

-58.79%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$125 SEK 1,188

146.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$732 SEK 6,951

1906.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$73.9 SEK 702

-24.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$10.41 SEK 98.9

150.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$82.8 SEK 787

2.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$116 SEK 1,098

-38.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$825 SEK 7,841

-48.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$654 SEK 6,218

-62.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$1,419 SEK 13.5K

-43.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$1,083 SEK 10.3K

-53.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$3,504 SEK 33.3K

-45.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$3,134 SEK 29.8K

-53.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$3,952 SEK 37.5K

-84.94%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $825 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 564% 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 $244 vs $308 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 87% 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, salaries run 564% lower in Bålsta. 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: $423 in Chiang Mai versus $825 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 $1,596 in Bålsta – a 87% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 293% 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 $1,596 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 87% less than in Bålsta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.