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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,834 in Eslov, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,799 in Eslov, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,764 in Eslov, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 54% cheaper than Eslov, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Eslov is 38% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$12.89 SEK 122

-84.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$86.5 SEK 822

-78.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$10.49 SEK 99.7

-25.07%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$4.79 SEK 45.55

-57.62%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$2.84 SEK 26.94

-71.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$2.15 SEK 20.38

-83.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$7.42 SEK 70.5

-71.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$7.58 SEK 72.0

-51.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.69 SEK 16.02

2.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$2.13 SEK 20.19

-26.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$3.22 SEK 30.62

-62.73%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$4.60 SEK 43.68

-57.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$12.72 SEK 121

27.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$11.81 SEK 112

-74.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$18.41 SEK 175

-41.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.09 SEK 29.37

-10.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.68 SEK 25.45

-56.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.81 SEK 26.71

-39.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$4.34 SEK 41.18

-63.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.72 SEK 16.33

-19.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.64 SEK 15.56

-29.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$2.22 SEK 21.08

-70.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.23 SEK 11.71

-57.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$8.24 SEK 78.3

-43.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$11.34 SEK 108

56.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.03 SEK 19.30

-11.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.22 SEK 21.04

50.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$3.28 SEK 31.18

-72.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$73.6 SEK 700

-74.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$5.53 SEK 52.5

-74.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.64 SEK 15.62

-18.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$61.6 SEK 585

-86.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.87 SEK 17.76

-34.22%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$32.6K SEK 310.0K

-34.31%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$34.0K SEK 322.5K

-35.72%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$122 SEK 1,157

-41.44%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$25.31 SEK 240

-44.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$38.80 SEK 369

-53.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$40.45 SEK 384

0.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$24.81 SEK 236

-72.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$17.47 SEK 166

-67.26%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$175 SEK 1,662

76.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$4,180 SEK 39.7K

251.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$87.1 SEK 827

-35.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$51.7 SEK 491

-49.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$105 SEK 1,000

-19.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$127 SEK 1,206

-44.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$836 SEK 7,944

-49.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$649 SEK 6,164

-62.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$1,385 SEK 13.2K

-42.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$1,102 SEK 10.5K

-54.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$3,884 SEK 36.9K

-50.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$2,661 SEK 25.3K

-44.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Eslov: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $836 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 $87.0 in Eslov. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $356 – 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 115% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,751 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $175 in Eslov. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% 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 $852, than in Eslov at $1,834. 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 $852 versus $1,834 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.