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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,097 in Gothenburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,218 in Gothenburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,339 in Gothenburg, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 55% cheaper than Gothenburg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Gothenburg is 52% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.4

$13.75 SEK 133

-84.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$91.4 SEK 887

-78.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿192

$13.46 SEK 131

-56.98%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.5

$5.14 SEK 49.85

-64.40%

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

$0.78 ฿25.63

$3.03 SEK 29.44

-74.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.38

$2.30 SEK 22.32

-86.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.3

$7.07 SEK 68.6

-66.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$7.68 SEK 74.6

-51.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.83 SEK 17.74

10.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.8

$2.71 SEK 26.29

-40.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.80

$3.30 SEK 32.01

-56.97%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.0

$4.07 SEK 39.51

-46.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$12.25 SEK 119

29.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$11.83 SEK 115

-74.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$17.52 SEK 170

-43.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.9

$3.22 SEK 31.21

-18.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.23

$2.68 SEK 25.98

-58.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.9

$3.12 SEK 30.30

-47.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$4.35 SEK 42.20

-64.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.16

$1.88 SEK 18.27

-34.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.40

$1.73 SEK 16.79

-34.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.41

$2.11 SEK 20.44

-64.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.50

$1.78 SEK 17.23

-71.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿142

$8.16 SEK 79.2

-47.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$14.29 SEK 139

25.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.2

$2.21 SEK 21.43

-23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.25 SEK 21.82

28.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.15

$3.75 SEK 36.42

-74.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,828

$88.2 SEK 855

-37.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.80

$6.49 SEK 62.9

-81.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.67

$1.73 SEK 16.78

-69.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.4

$61.2 SEK 594

-96.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.60

$1.90 SEK 18.48

-24.21%

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

$21.2K ฿700.9K

$34.4K SEK 334.3K

-38.48%

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

$27.3K ฿903.0K

$34.7K SEK 336.5K

-21.27%

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

$64.9 ฿2,147

$107 SEK 1,036

-39.18%

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

$13.35 ฿442

$20.02 SEK 194

-33.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿689

$36.46 SEK 354

-42.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,337

$37.87 SEK 368

6.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$25.91 SEK 251

-84.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$19.30 SEK 187

-65.23%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$226 SEK 2,194

248.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿500.1K

$4,552 SEK 44.2K

232.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,859

$92.1 SEK 893

-38.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿825

$34.33 SEK 333

-27.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,066

$96.0 SEK 931

-3.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,484

$138 SEK 1,338

-45.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$1,093 SEK 10.6K

-55.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,500

$974 SEK 9,455

-70.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$1,896 SEK 18.4K

-52.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$1,464 SEK 14.2K

-63.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.5K

$6,464 SEK 62.7K

-69.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.0K

$3,660 SEK 35.5K

-60.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$3,689 SEK 35.8K

-83.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.06

82.03%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Gothenburg: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $1,093 in Gothenburg. 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 509% higher in Gothenburg, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $91.0 in Gothenburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $373 – 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 Gothenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gothenburg costs about 121% 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,145 in Gothenburg. 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 $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $226 in Gothenburg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% more in Gothenburg, 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 $950, than in Gothenburg at $2,097. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gothenburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $2,097 in Gothenburg. 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, Gothenburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.