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: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,619 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $2,516 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $3,413 in Bålsta.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 42% less than in Bålsta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 32% below, Bålsta is 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$14.12 SEK 139

-85.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$67.5 SEK 665

-70.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$9.05 SEK 89.2

-37.35%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$4.13 SEK 40.75

-56.17%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$2.76 SEK 27.22

-72.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$2.24 SEK 22.07

-84.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$7.50 SEK 73.9

-70.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$7.43 SEK 73.2

-48.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.58 SEK 15.61

29.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$2.02 SEK 19.95

-25.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$3.59 SEK 35.37

-61.00%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$3.73 SEK 36.79

-39.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$11.52 SEK 114

40.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$12.47 SEK 123

-76.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$11.53 SEK 114

-18.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.65 SEK 26.16

1.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.77 SEK 27.34

-60.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.13 SEK 21.01

-23.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$2.90 SEK 28.55

-49.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.47 SEK 14.47

-12.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.29 SEK 12.66

-17.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$1.58 SEK 15.55

-54.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$1.01 SEK 9.94

-47.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$7.26 SEK 71.6

-41.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$10.21 SEK 101

79.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.58 SEK 15.54

3.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.14 SEK 21.10

35.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$3.42 SEK 33.73

-74.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$81.7 SEK 805

-34.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$6.31 SEK 62.2

-81.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.54 SEK 15.21

-62.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$79.6 SEK 784

-97.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.81 SEK 17.88

-19.89%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$34.8K SEK 343.0K

-39.63%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$33.9K SEK 333.7K

-21.97%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$51.4 SEK 506

23.91%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$20.63 SEK 203

-37.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$40.94 SEK 403

-49.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$39.69 SEK 391

-1.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$26.10 SEK 257

-84.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$13.79 SEK 136

-52.28%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$126 SEK 1,245

520.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$5,266 SEK 51.9K

178.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$73.8 SEK 727

-25.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$10.48 SEK 103

136.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$83.7 SEK 825

12.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$115 SEK 1,131

-35.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$831 SEK 8,191

-41.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$605 SEK 5,964

-52.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$1,417 SEK 14.0K

-37.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$1,041 SEK 10.3K

-49.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$4,263 SEK 42.0K

-53.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$2,890 SEK 28.5K

-50.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$3,987 SEK 39.3K

-84.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

85.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $831 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 563% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $68.0 in Bålsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 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 74% 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 563% 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $831 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $932 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,619 in Bålsta – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 52% less than in Bålsta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,619 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 $932 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 74% less than in Bålsta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.