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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $872 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,178 in Falun, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,277 in Falun, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,376 in Falun, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 60% cheaper than Falun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Falun is 62% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.5

$13.09 SEK 120

-84.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$67.6 SEK 621

-73.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$9.60 SEK 88.3

-20.31%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$4.41 SEK 40.53

-56.46%

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

$0.84 ฿26.97

$1.88 SEK 17.27

-55.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$2.00 SEK 18.41

-82.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

$7.39 SEK 68.0

-70.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$7.19 SEK 66.1

-47.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$1.39 SEK 12.75

17.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.0

$3.01 SEK 27.64

-46.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.98

$3.90 SEK 35.87

-70.51%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.2

$3.87 SEK 35.59

-49.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$13.05 SEK 120

22.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.5

$10.60 SEK 97.5

-70.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

$15.94 SEK 146

-30.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.8

$3.51 SEK 32.25

-22.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.80

$2.59 SEK 23.76

-54.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.7

$1.60 SEK 14.75

6.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.5

$5.74 SEK 52.7

-71.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.66

$1.52 SEK 13.95

-8.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.81

$2.14 SEK 19.68

-46.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.83

$2.68 SEK 24.65

-73.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.65

$1.69 SEK 15.57

-67.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$7.32 SEK 67.3

-37.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

$13.08 SEK 120

44.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$1.74 SEK 15.98

4.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$1.91 SEK 17.59

68.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.24

$4.69 SEK 43.07

-81.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿606

$96.7 SEK 889

-80.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.30

$8.62 SEK 79.2

-83.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.71

$1.58 SEK 14.48

-17.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$77.4 SEK 711

-89.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.29

$1.93 SEK 17.70

-36.27%

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

$21.2K ฿678.9K

$37.4K SEK 343.8K

-43.39%

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

$22.3K ฿715.3K

$33.9K SEK 311.1K

-34.09%

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

$69.9 ฿2,240

$91.3 SEK 839

-23.48%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$28.05 SEK 258

-49.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$37.30 SEK 343

-52.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,328

$71.6 SEK 658

-42.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿215

$25.39 SEK 233

-73.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$15.79 SEK 145

-63.65%

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

$299 ฿9,593

$145 SEK 1,333

106.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿481.2K

$745 SEK 6,845

1914.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,758

$106 SEK 970

-48.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿845

$44.55 SEK 409

-40.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,714

$115 SEK 1,055

-26.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,236

$154 SEK 1,414

-54.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$1,289 SEK 11.8K

-66.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,718

$952 SEK 8,746

-74.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

$1,956 SEK 18.0K

-58.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

$1,607 SEK 14.8K

-68.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

$4,132 SEK 38.0K

-51.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.9K

$2,957 SEK 27.2K

-48.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

$2,776 SEK 25.5K

-76.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Last update for Falun: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Chiang Mai versus $1,289 in Falun. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 334% higher in Falun, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18 in Chiang Mai versus $68 in Falun. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $362 – 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 Falun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Falun costs about 150% 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 $1,308 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,267 in Falun. 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $145 in Falun. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% more in Falun, 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 $872, than in Falun at $2,178. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Falun it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $872 versus $2,178 in Falun. 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, Falun makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.