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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,756 in Eskilstuna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,714 in Eskilstuna, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,671 in Eskilstuna, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 51% cheaper than Eskilstuna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Eskilstuna is 31% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$12.96 SEK 125

-84.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$67.3 SEK 651

-72.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$10.39 SEK 101

-28.01%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$4.52 SEK 43.77

-55.31%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$2.69 SEK 26.08

-68.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$2.39 SEK 23.16

-84.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$7.28 SEK 70.5

-70.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$7.35 SEK 71.2

-51.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.52 SEK 14.71

8.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$3.07 SEK 29.72

-48.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$3.45 SEK 33.40

-65.51%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$4.07 SEK 39.43

-52.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$14.05 SEK 136

15.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$11.74 SEK 114

-74.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$13.48 SEK 131

-18.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.37 SEK 32.61

-19.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$2.60 SEK 25.21

-55.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$2.58 SEK 24.94

-34.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$3.83 SEK 37.09

-58.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.49 SEK 14.38

-7.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$2.15 SEK 20.86

-44.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$2.75 SEK 26.64

-75.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$1.70 SEK 16.42

-67.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$7.55 SEK 73.1

-38.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$8.30 SEK 80.4

112.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$2.34 SEK 22.66

-20.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.89 SEK 18.34

74.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$3.28 SEK 31.77

-73.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$67.7 SEK 656

-71.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$6.73 SEK 65.2

-79.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$1.19 SEK 11.49

12.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$60.9 SEK 589

-86.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.92 SEK 18.58

-36.46%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$32.7K SEK 316.4K

-34.66%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$34.2K SEK 331.3K

-34.16%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$90.7 SEK 878

-22.08%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$27.99 SEK 271

-49.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$37.16 SEK 360

-52.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$26.08 SEK 253

61.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$25.74 SEK 249

-73.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$11.58 SEK 112

-48.88%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$127 SEK 1,230

142.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$733 SEK 7,099

1929.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$106 SEK 1,029

-47.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$31.37 SEK 304

-16.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$96.3 SEK 932

-13.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$158 SEK 1,526

-55.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$745 SEK 7,209

-41.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$631 SEK 6,113

-62.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$1,202 SEK 11.6K

-31.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$1,042 SEK 10.1K

-50.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$4,038 SEK 39.1K

-52.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$2,850 SEK 27.6K

-48.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$4,312 SEK 41.7K

-86.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

10.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Eskilstuna: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $745 in Eskilstuna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 644% higher in Eskilstuna, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $67.0 in Eskilstuna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $351 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Eskilstuna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Eskilstuna costs about 104% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,634 in Eskilstuna. 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $127 in Eskilstuna. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Eskilstuna, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Eskilstuna at $1,756. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Eskilstuna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,756 in Eskilstuna. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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