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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $2,014 in Boras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $2,797 in Boras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $3,580 in Boras.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 58% less than in Boras, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 36% below, Boras is 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$12.54 SEK 117

-84.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$71.7 SEK 667

-73.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$10.49 SEK 97.5

-24.50%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$4.54 SEK 42.21

-57.93%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$2.24 SEK 20.82

-62.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$2.07 SEK 19.25

-83.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$7.77 SEK 72.3

-71.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$7.48 SEK 69.6

-49.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.61 SEK 15.01

1.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$2.23 SEK 20.69

-27.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$3.01 SEK 28.01

-60.80%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$4.47 SEK 41.60

-55.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$13.09 SEK 122

21.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$11.47 SEK 107

-73.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$17.11 SEK 159

-37.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.70 SEK 25.08

-3.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.91 SEK 27.04

-58.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.81 SEK 26.12

-39.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$3.66 SEK 34.00

-56.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.60 SEK 14.84

-17.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.62 SEK 15.11

-27.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.45 SEK 13.47

-53.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.54 SEK 14.31

-63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$7.88 SEK 73.3

-42.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$10.13 SEK 94.2

79.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.98 SEK 18.39

-7.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.71 SEK 15.86

88.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$3.78 SEK 35.12

-76.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$85.6 SEK 796

-77.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$6.42 SEK 59.7

-78.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.90 SEK 17.67

-28.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$64.1 SEK 596

-87.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.88 SEK 17.50

-32.45%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$26.2K SEK 243.5K

-19.20%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$24.9K SEK 231.4K

-9.63%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$76.1 SEK 708

-7.82%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$28.90 SEK 269

-52.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$27.75 SEK 258

-36.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$33.85 SEK 315

22.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$23.65 SEK 220

-72.09%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$15.60 SEK 145

-62.95%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$158 SEK 1,469

93.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$4,185 SEK 38.9K

254.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$81.3 SEK 756

-33.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$38.86 SEK 361

-32.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$94.1 SEK 875

-10.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$108 SEK 1,000

-35.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$825 SEK 7,669

-48.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$926 SEK 8,614

-74.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$1,402 SEK 13.0K

-41.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,097 SEK 10.2K

-53.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$4,263 SEK 39.6K

-51.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$3,016 SEK 28.1K

-49.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$2,651 SEK 24.7K

-76.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

4.17%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Boras: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $825 in Boras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boras pays 317% 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 $72.0 in Boras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $343 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 Boras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 136% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Boras earns 317% 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 $825 in Boras. 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 $2,014 in Boras – a 136% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 342% less than in Boras. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $2,014 in Boras, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Boras. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Boras, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Boras 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 136% less than in Boras. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.