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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,721 in Eslov, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,802 in Eslov, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,883 in Eslov, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 46% cheaper than Eslov, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Eslov is 26% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$13.61 SEK 134

-84.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$92.7 SEK 914

-78.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$12.36 SEK 122

-54.13%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$4.92 SEK 48.47

-63.21%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$2.90 SEK 28.57

-73.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$2.11 SEK 20.81

-83.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$7.06 SEK 69.5

-68.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$7.50 SEK 73.9

-49.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.79 SEK 17.68

14.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$2.74 SEK 26.98

-44.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$3.84 SEK 37.87

-63.54%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$3.88 SEK 38.22

-41.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$12.30 SEK 121

31.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$11.79 SEK 116

-75.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$17.48 SEK 172

-46.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$3.19 SEK 31.39

-15.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.58 SEK 25.45

-57.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.94 SEK 28.97

-44.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$4.92 SEK 48.51

-70.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.78 SEK 17.51

-28.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.48 SEK 14.61

-28.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$2.02 SEK 19.88

-64.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$1.53 SEK 15.10

-65.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$8.07 SEK 79.5

-47.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$11.52 SEK 113

58.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$2.01 SEK 19.82

-18.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.33 SEK 23.01

24.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$3.35 SEK 32.99

-73.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$81.8 SEK 806

-34.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$5.08 SEK 50.0

-76.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.11 SEK 10.93

-47.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$43.51 SEK 429

-94.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.79 SEK 17.59

-18.99%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$34.7K SEK 341.8K

-39.42%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$34.2K SEK 336.6K

-22.63%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$82.0 SEK 808

-22.37%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$19.53 SEK 192

-34.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$36.52 SEK 360

-43.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$39.64 SEK 391

-1.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$26.11 SEK 257

-84.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$15.90 SEK 157

-58.62%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$165 SEK 1,628

374.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$5,269 SEK 51.9K

178.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$91.3 SEK 900

-39.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$51.1 SEK 503

-51.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$106 SEK 1,046

-11.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$126 SEK 1,243

-41.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$837 SEK 8,245

-41.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$627 SEK 6,177

-54.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$1,403 SEK 13.8K

-36.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$1,051 SEK 10.4K

-50.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$4,174 SEK 41.1K

-52.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$2,929 SEK 28.9K

-50.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.03

83.83%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Eslov: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $837 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $93.0 in Eslov. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $365 – 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 85% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,581 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $165 in Eslov. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% 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 $932, than in Eslov at $1,721. 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 $932 versus $1,721 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.