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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,183 in Falun, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,284 in Falun, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,385 in Falun, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 61% cheaper than Falun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Falun is 63% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$13.15 SEK 127

-85.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$68.7 SEK 665

-73.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$9.71 SEK 94.0

-22.97%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$4.57 SEK 44.28

-55.80%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.88 SEK 18.17

-54.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$2.07 SEK 20.06

-82.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$7.49 SEK 72.6

-71.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$7.19 SEK 69.6

-50.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.45 SEK 14.01

13.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$2.85 SEK 27.60

-44.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$3.98 SEK 38.57

-70.10%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$4.01 SEK 38.87

-51.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$13.26 SEK 128

22.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$10.35 SEK 100

-71.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$15.97 SEK 155

-31.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.51 SEK 34.01

-22.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$2.67 SEK 25.81

-56.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.62 SEK 15.67

4.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$5.65 SEK 54.7

-71.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.50 SEK 14.48

-8.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$2.07 SEK 20.06

-42.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$2.66 SEK 25.74

-74.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$1.73 SEK 16.77

-67.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$7.21 SEK 69.8

-35.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$10.34 SEK 100

70.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.73 SEK 16.74

7.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.91 SEK 18.45

72.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$4.89 SEK 47.34

-82.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$99.1 SEK 959

-80.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$8.54 SEK 82.7

-84.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$1.64 SEK 15.92

-18.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$74.9 SEK 725

-89.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.95 SEK 18.87

-37.44%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$38.6K SEK 374.0K

-44.72%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$33.6K SEK 325.3K

-32.94%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$89.0 SEK 862

-20.60%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$27.89 SEK 270

-49.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$36.42 SEK 353

-51.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$70.0 SEK 678

-39.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$25.08 SEK 243

-72.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$15.64 SEK 151

-62.15%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$143 SEK 1,384

115.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$748 SEK 7,240

1889.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$105 SEK 1,017

-46.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$43.23 SEK 419

-39.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$117 SEK 1,134

-29.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$158 SEK 1,533

-55.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$1,249 SEK 12.1K

-65.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$932 SEK 9,021

-74.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$1,972 SEK 19.1K

-58.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$1,580 SEK 15.3K

-67.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$4,087 SEK 39.6K

-53.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$2,856 SEK 27.7K

-48.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$2,638 SEK 25.5K

-78.04%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Falun: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $1,249 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 355% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $69.0 in Falun. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $356 – 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 153% 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 $3,274 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $143 in Falun. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% 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 $861, than in Falun at $2,183. 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 $861 versus $2,183 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.