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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,802 in Fagersta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,786 in Fagersta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,771 in Fagersta, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 52% cheaper than Fagersta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$13.44 SEK 130

-85.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$69.1 SEK 669

-73.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$10.61 SEK 103

-29.50%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$4.49 SEK 43.49

-55.01%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$2.71 SEK 26.21

-68.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$2.43 SEK 23.49

-85.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$7.31 SEK 70.8

-70.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$7.16 SEK 69.3

-49.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.84 SEK 17.77

-10.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$3.20 SEK 30.95

-50.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$3.99 SEK 38.62

-70.18%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$3.91 SEK 37.81

-50.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$13.90 SEK 135

16.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$11.70 SEK 113

-74.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$15.92 SEK 154

-31.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.54 SEK 34.27

-23.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$2.57 SEK 24.84

-54.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.62 SEK 15.69

4.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$5.59 SEK 54.1

-71.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.55 SEK 15.01

-10.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$2.06 SEK 19.98

-41.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$2.78 SEK 26.94

-75.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$1.69 SEK 16.33

-66.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$7.19 SEK 69.7

-35.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$10.32 SEK 99.9

70.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.73 SEK 16.79

7.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.90 SEK 18.43

73.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$3.47 SEK 33.63

-74.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$75.1 SEK 727

-74.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$5.54 SEK 53.7

-75.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$1.63 SEK 15.81

-17.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$20.88 SEK 202

-60.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$2.00 SEK 19.36

-39.00%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$33.2K SEK 321.8K

-35.76%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$34.6K SEK 334.8K

-34.86%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$90.2 SEK 873

-21.64%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$27.87 SEK 270

-49.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$36.31 SEK 352

-51.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$40.11 SEK 388

5.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$24.85 SEK 241

-72.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$15.60 SEK 151

-62.05%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$146 SEK 1,411

111.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$731 SEK 7,080

1934.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$105 SEK 1,014

-46.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$43.43 SEK 421

-39.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$116 SEK 1,126

-28.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$157 SEK 1,516

-55.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$841 SEK 8,142

-48.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$655 SEK 6,337

-63.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$1,420 SEK 13.8K

-42.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$1,083 SEK 10.5K

-52.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$4,235 SEK 41.0K

-54.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$2,858 SEK 27.7K

-48.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

10.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Fagersta: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $841 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $69.0 in Fagersta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $371 – 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 109% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,703 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $146 in Fagersta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% 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 $861, than in Fagersta at $1,802. 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 $861 versus $1,802 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.