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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $869 in Chiang Mai versus $1,809 in Botkyrka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,362 in Chiang Mai versus $2,776 in Botkyrka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Chiang Mai versus $3,743 in Botkyrka.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 52% less than in Botkyrka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 35% below, Botkyrka is 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$13.14 SEK 123

-84.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$69.8 SEK 655

-73.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$10.36 SEK 97.2

-25.19%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$4.59 SEK 43.08

-58.17%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$2.72 SEK 25.47

-70.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$2.41 SEK 22.56

-85.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$7.18 SEK 67.4

-69.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$7.25 SEK 68.0

-49.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.75 SEK 16.37

-5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$3.11 SEK 29.16

-47.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$4.05 SEK 37.98

-70.62%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$4.50 SEK 42.20

-55.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$12.93 SEK 121

23.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$11.84 SEK 111

-74.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$15.68 SEK 147

-30.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.45 SEK 32.36

-20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.62 SEK 24.56

-54.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.44 SEK 22.91

-32.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$4.61 SEK 43.21

-67.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.74 SEK 16.32

-20.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$2.07 SEK 19.42

-42.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$2.54 SEK 23.81

-72.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$1.55 SEK 14.50

-63.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$7.30 SEK 68.5

-37.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$10.75 SEK 101

54.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.73 SEK 16.22

5.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.95 SEK 18.26

64.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$3.33 SEK 31.19

-73.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$74.9 SEK 702

-75.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$6.32 SEK 59.3

-78.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.20 SEK 11.25

11.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$21.28 SEK 200

-63.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.94 SEK 18.23

-36.60%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$32.1K SEK 301.4K

-32.69%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$34.6K SEK 324.9K

-34.90%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$89.7 SEK 841

-21.35%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$28.38 SEK 266

-51.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$36.93 SEK 346

-52.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$40.16 SEK 377

2.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$25.61 SEK 240

-72.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$15.88 SEK 149

-63.66%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$145 SEK 1,357

112.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$4,209 SEK 39.5K

247.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$97.9 SEK 918

-43.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$43.26 SEK 406

-39.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$117 SEK 1,094

-26.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$153 SEK 1,431

-52.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$842 SEK 7,896

-48.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$656 SEK 6,154

-63.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$1,420 SEK 13.3K

-42.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$1,102 SEK 10.3K

-53.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$4,076 SEK 38.2K

-51.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$2,731 SEK 25.6K

-45.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

20.19%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Botkyrka: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Chiang Mai and $842 in Botkyrka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $70.0 in Botkyrka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $366 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 Botkyrka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 108% lower than in Botkyrka. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,303 in Chiang Mai and $2,714 in Botkyrka to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $430 in Chiang Mai versus $842 in Botkyrka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Botkyrka. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $70.0 in Botkyrka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $869 in Chiang Mai versus $1,809 in Botkyrka, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Botkyrka. 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 $869 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 Botkyrka 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 108% less than in Botkyrka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.