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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,776 in Eslov, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,791 in Eslov, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,807 in Eslov, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Eslov is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$12.43 SEK 117

-84.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$85.7 SEK 804

-78.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$10.62 SEK 99.6

-27.02%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$4.93 SEK 46.27

-61.05%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$2.81 SEK 26.40

-71.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$2.07 SEK 19.40

-82.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$7.59 SEK 71.2

-70.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$7.45 SEK 69.9

-50.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.66 SEK 15.61

-0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.22 SEK 20.82

-26.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$3.33 SEK 31.26

-64.26%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$4.61 SEK 43.20

-56.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$12.59 SEK 118

26.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$11.57 SEK 109

-73.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$18.45 SEK 173

-41.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.08 SEK 28.89

-10.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.77 SEK 26.00

-57.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.88 SEK 27.01

-43.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$4.47 SEK 41.96

-66.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.73 SEK 16.21

-20.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.65 SEK 15.50

-27.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$2.30 SEK 21.57

-69.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$1.28 SEK 11.99

-56.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$8.12 SEK 76.2

-43.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$11.85 SEK 111

39.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.04 SEK 19.10

-10.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.21 SEK 20.70

44.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$3.42 SEK 32.04

-74.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$74.3 SEK 697

-74.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$5.40 SEK 50.7

-74.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.66 SEK 15.55

-19.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$62.9 SEK 590

-87.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.89 SEK 17.70

-34.92%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$32.9K SEK 308.7K

-34.29%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$34.0K SEK 319.1K

-33.72%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$123 SEK 1,154

-42.66%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$25.04 SEK 235

-45.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$38.99 SEK 366

-55.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$39.95 SEK 375

3.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$25.37 SEK 238

-72.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$17.69 SEK 166

-67.38%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$178 SEK 1,669

72.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$4,216 SEK 39.6K

246.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$87.9 SEK 825

-36.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$51.7 SEK 485

-49.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$107 SEK 1,002

-19.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$130 SEK 1,223

-44.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$827 SEK 7,757

-48.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$659 SEK 6,183

-63.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$1,419 SEK 13.3K

-42.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$1,089 SEK 10.2K

-53.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$4,892 SEK 45.9K

-59.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$2,658 SEK 24.9K

-44.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

15.47%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Eslov: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $827 in Eslov. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $86.0 in Eslov. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $359 – 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 Eslov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Eslov 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,663 in Eslov. 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $178 in Eslov. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% more in Eslov, 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 $869, than in Eslov at $1,776. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Eslov it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,776 in Eslov. 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, Eslov makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.