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: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,793 in Botkyrka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $2,773 in Botkyrka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $3,754 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 36% below, Botkyrka is 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.3

$13.41 SEK 128

-84.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿625

$68.7 SEK 657

-72.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$10.46 SEK 100

-24.86%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.8

$4.54 SEK 43.41

-55.29%

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

$0.80 ฿26.67

$2.78 SEK 26.58

-71.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.69

$2.41 SEK 23.07

-85.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.6

$7.24 SEK 69.3

-70.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$7.16 SEK 68.5

-48.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$1.78 SEK 17.06

-2.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$3.10 SEK 29.65

-49.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.04

$4.00 SEK 38.26

-70.00%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.9

$4.42 SEK 42.24

-55.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿542

$13.04 SEK 125

24.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$11.96 SEK 114

-74.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$15.40 SEK 147

-29.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.5

$3.52 SEK 33.65

-21.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$2.67 SEK 25.49

-56.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.54 SEK 24.32

-32.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$4.51 SEK 43.16

-64.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.56

$1.75 SEK 16.72

-20.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.61

$2.08 SEK 19.93

-44.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.08

$2.59 SEK 24.77

-74.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.33

$1.57 SEK 15.06

-66.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$7.58 SEK 72.5

-38.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿594

$10.25 SEK 98.0

73.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.7

$1.78 SEK 16.98

0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$1.89 SEK 18.11

76.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.30

$3.45 SEK 32.96

-73.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿623

$72.6 SEK 694

-74.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.10

$6.25 SEK 59.8

-77.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.76

$1.23 SEK 11.73

8.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$21.08 SEK 202

-61.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.21

$1.99 SEK 19.04

-38.19%

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

$21.4K ฿715.9K

$32.7K SEK 312.5K

-34.39%

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

$21.8K ฿728.9K

$34.3K SEK 328.3K

-36.42%

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

$71.3 ฿2,382

$115 SEK 1,097

-37.78%

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

$14.01 ฿468

$28.85 SEK 276

-51.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿599

$35.88 SEK 343

-50.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,363

$41.01 SEK 392

-0.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$25.24 SEK 241

-72.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$15.96 SEK 153

-64.16%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$142 SEK 1,355

117.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿490.3K

$4,192 SEK 40.1K

250.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,863

$96.8 SEK 926

-42.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿870

$42.95 SEK 411

-39.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,833

$116 SEK 1,106

-26.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,371

$156 SEK 1,490

-54.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$826 SEK 7,901

-48.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,098

$652 SEK 6,238

-62.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$1,398 SEK 13.4K

-42.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$1,069 SEK 10.2K

-52.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.1K

$3,673 SEK 35.1K

-47.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.9K

$3,078 SEK 29.4K

-52.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Botkyrka: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $826 in Botkyrka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $69.0 in Botkyrka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 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 110% 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 $1,279 in Chiang Mai and $2,689 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: $423 in Chiang Mai versus $826 in Botkyrka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% 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 $69.0 in Botkyrka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,793 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 $852 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 110% less than in Botkyrka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.