Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Boden

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,770 in Boden, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
85

Cost of Living Index in Boden
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Boden Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Boden

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,770

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Boden

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Boden actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,770 in Boden, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Boden $1,770

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,754 in Boden, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Boden $2,754

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,739 in Boden, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Boden $3,739

Chiang Mai is about 47% cheaper than Boden, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Boden is 30% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$18.64 SEK 182

-87.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$74.7 SEK 729

-74.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$10.01 SEK 97.6

-44.56%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$4.35 SEK 42.42

-61.61%

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

$0.64 ฿21.53

$1.59 SEK 15.56

-59.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.30

$2.22 SEK 21.61

-86.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$7.22 SEK 70.4

-67.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$6.50 SEK 63.5

-43.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.52 SEK 14.84

28.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.45

$2.77 SEK 27.01

-48.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.01

$3.39 SEK 33.08

-60.77%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$4.04 SEK 39.45

-43.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$12.16 SEK 119

35.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$12.15 SEK 119

-77.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$17.39 SEK 170

-46.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$2.99 SEK 29.18

-21.40%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.78

$2.56 SEK 25.01

-62.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$3.04 SEK 29.64

-47.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$4.21 SEK 41.12

-64.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.10

$1.60 SEK 15.58

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.17

$1.63 SEK 15.92

-32.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.81

$2.23 SEK 21.76

-68.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

$1.44 SEK 14.01

-65.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$10.29 SEK 100

-59.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$10.30 SEK 100

70.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.98 SEK 19.36

-18.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$2.21 SEK 21.51

25.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.29

$3.36 SEK 32.79

-74.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

$71.3 SEK 696

-24.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.03

$5.83 SEK 56.8

-80.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.79

$1.51 SEK 14.69

-64.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

$53.9 SEK 525

-95.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.87

$1.93 SEK 18.85

-24.87%

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

$21.1K ฿710.3K

$25.4K SEK 247.6K

-17.04%

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

$26.9K ฿908.7K

$32.6K SEK 317.7K

-17.27%

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

$62.2 ฿2,097

$103 SEK 1,004

-39.58%

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

$12.17 ฿410

$25.25 SEK 246

-51.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$39.16 SEK 382

-48.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$57.8 SEK 564

-35.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$20.12 SEK 196

-81.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$12.48 SEK 122

-48.00%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$158 SEK 1,544

365.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.0K

$5,245 SEK 51.2K

181.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,800

$98.7 SEK 963

-45.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$40.77 SEK 398

-39.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,086

$91.3 SEK 891

0.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,426

$140 SEK 1,365

-48.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$894 SEK 8,721

-46.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$604 SEK 5,896

-48.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$1,367 SEK 13.3K

-26.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$994 SEK 9,694

-36.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

$4,214 SEK 41.1K

-43.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$2,804 SEK 27.4K

-43.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$3,822 SEK 37.3K

-84.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.4

63.82%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Boden: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Boden

$604 34.2% 95.6% $295

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Boden

$355 20% 51.4% $120

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Boden

$167 9.4% 53.6% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Boden

$167 9.5% 77.1% $73

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Boden

$296 16.7% 281% $218

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Boden

$98 5.5% 59.9% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Boden

$83 4.7% 64.5% $32

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $894 in Boden. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Boden are about 6.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $75 in Boden. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $355 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇸🇪 Boden

🕒 Local time

21:21 9:21 PM

15:21 3:21 PM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

18,680

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 SEK = 10.25 USD

100 SEK = 9.19 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.64 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 9.76 SEK (1 SEK = 0.103 USD). 1 EUR = 10.89 SEK (100 SEK = 9.19 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Boden 7,530 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Boden

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Boden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Boden is pricier by about 89%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,655 in Boden. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $894 in Boden.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,770 in Boden. That makes Chiang Mai about 47% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 24% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,770 in Boden. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,770 in Boden. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Boden makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.