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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,004 in Fagersta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,058 in Fagersta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,112 in Fagersta, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Fagersta is 46% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$14.76 SEK 141

-85.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$67.9 SEK 650

-71.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$10.44 SEK 99.8

-45.88%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$4.49 SEK 42.92

-59.69%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$2.74 SEK 26.25

-74.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$2.26 SEK 21.66

-85.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$7.41 SEK 70.9

-69.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.44 SEK 71.1

-51.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.84 SEK 17.58

6.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$3.32 SEK 31.74

-54.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$5.74 SEK 55.0

-76.66%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$5.30 SEK 50.7

-57.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$14.27 SEK 136

13.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$13.99 SEK 134

-78.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$17.85 SEK 171

-44.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$3.43 SEK 32.83

-25.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$2.78 SEK 26.56

-61.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$2.09 SEK 20.03

-22.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$4.84 SEK 46.31

-68.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$1.55 SEK 14.83

-18.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$1.85 SEK 17.71

-42.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$2.34 SEK 22.41

-69.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$1.91 SEK 18.25

-73.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$7.57 SEK 72.4

-44.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$10.65 SEK 102

67.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$2.06 SEK 19.74

-17.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$2.33 SEK 22.25

21.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$3.40 SEK 32.55

-72.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

$81.5 SEK 779

-33.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$13.96 SEK 134

-91.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$2.08 SEK 19.87

-72.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$85.2 SEK 815

-97.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$1.84 SEK 17.58

-23.37%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$34.4K SEK 328.7K

-37.60%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$34.1K SEK 326.5K

-19.93%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$182 SEK 1,745

-65.10%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$27.85 SEK 266

-53.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$48.61 SEK 465

-58.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$39.46 SEK 377

-1.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$26.47 SEK 253

-85.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$16.70 SEK 160

-59.64%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$231 SEK 2,211

236.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$5,275 SEK 50.5K

176.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$105 SEK 1,008

-48.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$55.1 SEK 527

-53.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$99.0 SEK 947

-4.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$224 SEK 2,143

-67.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$839 SEK 8,029

-41.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$611 SEK 5,847

-52.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$1,442 SEK 13.8K

-38.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$1,089 SEK 10.4K

-52.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$4,176 SEK 39.9K

-53.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$2,944 SEK 28.2K

-49.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

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 Fagersta: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $839 in Fagersta. 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 $68.0 in Fagersta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $405 – 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 Fagersta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fagersta costs about 112% 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 $3,007 in Fagersta. 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 $231 in Fagersta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 69% more in Fagersta, 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 Fagersta at $2,004. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fagersta it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $2,004 in Fagersta. 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, Fagersta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.