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 $1,802 in Eslov, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,789 in Eslov, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,777 in Eslov, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 53% cheaper than Eslov, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Eslov is 35% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$12.58 SEK 117

-84.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$86.2 SEK 802

-78.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$10.37 SEK 96.5

-23.63%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$4.82 SEK 44.87

-60.37%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$2.81 SEK 26.16

-70.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$2.14 SEK 19.92

-83.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$7.24 SEK 67.3

-69.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$7.32 SEK 68.1

-48.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.67 SEK 15.50

-1.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$2.24 SEK 20.86

-27.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$3.36 SEK 31.22

-64.88%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$4.42 SEK 41.11

-54.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$12.44 SEK 116

27.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$11.50 SEK 107

-73.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$18.36 SEK 171

-41.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.15 SEK 29.29

-17.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.64 SEK 24.55

-53.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.78 SEK 25.81

-38.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$4.37 SEK 40.69

-63.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.66 SEK 15.41

-20.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.56 SEK 14.54

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$2.21 SEK 20.55

-69.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.28 SEK 11.89

-56.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$8.23 SEK 76.5

-44.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$11.00 SEK 102

65.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.96 SEK 18.27

-6.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.13 SEK 19.83

51.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$3.44 SEK 31.97

-74.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$73.7 SEK 685

-73.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$5.45 SEK 50.7

-75.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.59 SEK 14.76

-15.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$62.0 SEK 577

-86.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.93 SEK 17.92

-34.20%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$33.1K SEK 307.7K

-36.06%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$34.8K SEK 323.6K

-35.37%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$121 SEK 1,127

-42.11%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$25.50 SEK 237

-46.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$39.01 SEK 363

-54.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$40.75 SEK 379

2.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$25.00 SEK 232

-73.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$18.09 SEK 168

-68.05%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$173 SEK 1,613

76.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$4,149 SEK 38.6K

257.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$88.8 SEK 825

-38.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$52.1 SEK 485

-49.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$105 SEK 974

-19.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$127 SEK 1,184

-45.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$828 SEK 7,704

-48.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$645 SEK 5,994

-63.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$1,416 SEK 13.2K

-41.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,067 SEK 9,922

-51.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$4,593 SEK 42.7K

-55.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$2,985 SEK 27.8K

-48.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Eslov: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $828 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: $243 vs $353 – 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 111% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,703 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $173 in Eslov. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% 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 $1,802. 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 $1,802 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.