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 $1,965 in Boras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $2,794 in Boras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $3,623 in Boras.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 57% less than in Boras, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 36% below, Boras is 48% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$12.62 SEK 120

-83.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$70.7 SEK 671

-73.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$10.41 SEK 98.9

-24.50%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$4.42 SEK 41.96

-54.07%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$2.24 SEK 21.27

-64.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$2.06 SEK 19.55

-83.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$7.96 SEK 75.6

-73.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$7.49 SEK 71.1

-51.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.66 SEK 15.73

4.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$2.24 SEK 21.26

-29.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$2.92 SEK 27.70

-58.90%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$4.53 SEK 43.00

-56.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$13.01 SEK 124

24.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$11.45 SEK 109

-73.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$17.31 SEK 164

-37.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.77 SEK 26.35

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.89 SEK 27.50

-59.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.82 SEK 26.75

-39.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$3.64 SEK 34.54

-56.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.63 SEK 15.44

-14.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.54 SEK 14.62

-24.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.40 SEK 13.27

-52.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.52 SEK 14.48

-65.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$8.05 SEK 76.5

-42.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$9.11 SEK 86.6

95.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.04 SEK 19.42

-12.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.77 SEK 16.86

88.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$3.71 SEK 35.20

-75.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$84.4 SEK 802

-77.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$6.17 SEK 58.6

-77.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.88 SEK 17.88

-28.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$64.0 SEK 608

-87.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.97 SEK 18.67

-37.56%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$26.4K SEK 251.2K

-18.93%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$24.9K SEK 236.9K

-12.48%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$75.0 SEK 712

-4.88%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$28.68 SEK 272

-51.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$28.15 SEK 267

-36.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$34.06 SEK 324

19.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$23.45 SEK 223

-70.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$16.13 SEK 153

-64.54%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$159 SEK 1,514

93.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$4,137 SEK 39.3K

254.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$80.3 SEK 762

-30.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$38.73 SEK 368

-32.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$96.7 SEK 919

-12.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$108 SEK 1,028

-34.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$844 SEK 8,014

-49.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$911 SEK 8,658

-73.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$1,390 SEK 13.2K

-42.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$1,085 SEK 10.3K

-53.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$2,491 SEK 23.7K

-76.11%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Boras: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $844 in Boras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boras pays 319% 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 $71.0 in Boras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $341 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 130% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 319% lower in Boras. 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 $844 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 $1,965 in Boras – a 130% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 353% 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 $1,965 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 130% less than in Boras. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.