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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,063 in Gothenburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,240 in Gothenburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,417 in Gothenburg, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 58% cheaper than Gothenburg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Gothenburg is 54% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$13.74 SEK 133

-85.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$91.2 SEK 883

-79.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$10.42 SEK 101

-28.21%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$4.86 SEK 47.02

-58.44%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$3.08 SEK 29.79

-72.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$2.56 SEK 24.81

-85.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$7.43 SEK 71.9

-71.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$7.72 SEK 74.7

-53.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.76 SEK 17.02

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$2.87 SEK 27.83

-45.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$3.34 SEK 32.35

-64.37%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$4.63 SEK 44.87

-58.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$11.67 SEK 113

38.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$12.41 SEK 120

-75.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$18.65 SEK 181

-41.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.07 SEK 29.77

-11.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$2.64 SEK 25.60

-55.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$2.93 SEK 28.35

-42.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$4.31 SEK 41.74

-62.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.76 SEK 16.99

-21.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.87 SEK 18.13

-35.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$2.22 SEK 21.45

-69.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$1.59 SEK 15.40

-64.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$7.94 SEK 76.9

-41.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$14.36 SEK 139

22.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$2.20 SEK 21.29

-15.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.53 SEK 24.48

30.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$3.92 SEK 38.00

-77.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$90.9 SEK 880

-78.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$10.16 SEK 98.4

-86.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$1.67 SEK 16.12

-19.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$61.6 SEK 596

-86.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.96 SEK 18.98

-37.76%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$32.2K SEK 311.6K

-33.64%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$35.6K SEK 344.3K

-36.64%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$140 SEK 1,358

-49.63%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$25.00 SEK 242

-43.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$38.56 SEK 373

-54.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$41.38 SEK 401

1.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$24.81 SEK 240

-72.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$18.04 SEK 175

-67.18%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$178 SEK 1,722

73.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$4,177 SEK 40.4K

256.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$89.5 SEK 867

-37.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$39.39 SEK 381

-33.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$95.4 SEK 923

-12.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$153 SEK 1,477

-53.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$1,096 SEK 10.6K

-60.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$860 SEK 8,328

-72.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$1,875 SEK 18.2K

-56.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$1,404 SEK 13.6K

-63.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$6,493 SEK 62.9K

-70.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$3,504 SEK 33.9K

-58.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$3,590 SEK 34.8K

-83.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

15.47%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Gothenburg: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $1,096 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 520% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $91.0 in Gothenburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $377 – 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 140% 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 $3,094 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $178 in Gothenburg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 55% 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 $861, than in Gothenburg at $2,063. 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 $861 versus $2,063 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.