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 $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,856 in Eskilstuna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,818 in Eskilstuna, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,780 in Eskilstuna, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 49% cheaper than Eskilstuna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Eskilstuna is 35% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$14.74 SEK 141

-85.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$69.0 SEK 658

-71.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$10.48 SEK 99.9

-46.09%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$4.65 SEK 44.36

-61.08%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$2.73 SEK 26.00

-73.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$2.27 SEK 21.63

-85.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$5.41 SEK 51.6

-58.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.21 SEK 49.72

-30.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.47 SEK 13.98

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$3.30 SEK 31.50

-54.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$3.43 SEK 32.67

-60.93%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$4.27 SEK 40.73

-47.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$14.29 SEK 136

13.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$13.18 SEK 126

-77.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$13.66 SEK 130

-27.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$3.36 SEK 32.04

-23.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$2.79 SEK 26.55

-62.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$2.58 SEK 24.60

-37.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$3.82 SEK 36.40

-60.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$1.55 SEK 14.73

-18.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$1.85 SEK 17.66

-42.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$3.25 SEK 30.98

-77.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$1.78 SEK 16.95

-71.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$7.36 SEK 70.2

-43.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$8.62 SEK 82.2

107.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$2.02 SEK 19.24

-16.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$2.34 SEK 22.33

21.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

$3.41 SEK 32.50

-72.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

$68.8 SEK 656

-21.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$13.82 SEK 132

-91.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$2.05 SEK 19.54

-71.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$84.1 SEK 802

-97.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$1.77 SEK 16.84

-20.34%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$33.3K SEK 317.8K

-35.67%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$33.8K SEK 321.9K

-19.04%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$185 SEK 1,768

-65.67%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$27.38 SEK 261

-53.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$41.03 SEK 391

-50.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$25.77 SEK 246

50.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$27.10 SEK 258

-85.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$11.80 SEK 112

-42.88%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$159 SEK 1,513

390.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$5,323 SEK 50.7K

174.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$104 SEK 992

-47.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$31.65 SEK 302

-19.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$94.6 SEK 902

-0.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$159 SEK 1,513

-53.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$833 SEK 7,943

-41.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

$633 SEK 6,038

-54.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$1,233 SEK 11.8K

-27.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$1,078 SEK 10.3K

-52.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$4,245 SEK 40.5K

-53.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

$2,965 SEK 28.3K

-50.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$4,351 SEK 41.5K

-86.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.2

74.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Eskilstuna: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $833 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 623% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $69.0 in Eskilstuna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $366 – 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 96% 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,785 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 $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $159 in Eskilstuna. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% 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 $947, than in Eskilstuna at $1,856. 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 $947 versus $1,856 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.