🙂A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,782 in Höllviken, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,793 in Höllviken, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,804 in Höllviken, rent included.
🙂Chiang Mai is about 48% cheaper than Höllviken, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Höllviken is 30% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Höllviken
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.08฿69.5
$15.38SEK 152
-86.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.61฿655
$74.3SEK 732
-73.60%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.67฿189
$12.27SEK 121
-53.79%
Cappuccino
$1.81฿60.3
$4.71SEK 46.37
-61.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77฿25.65
$3.01SEK 29.62
-74.42%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.53
$2.73SEK 26.85
-87.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿73.9
$7.97SEK 78.6
-72.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79฿127
$6.49SEK 63.9
-41.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Höllviken
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.05฿68.4
$1.52SEK 15.02
34.87%
White Bread(500g)
$1.51฿50.6
$2.86SEK 28.22
-47.20%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.40฿46.69
$3.18SEK 31.33
-55.97%
Eggs
$2.26฿75.4
$4.34SEK 42.75
-47.93%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.19฿540
$11.88SEK 117
36.28%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.90฿96.7
$11.60SEK 114
-75.00%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.42฿314
$15.29SEK 151
-38.39%
Apples(1kg)
$2.68฿89.4
$2.81SEK 27.71
-4.63%
Banana(1kg)
$1.09฿36.37
$2.69SEK 26.51
-59.48%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.62฿54.0
$3.06SEK 30.11
-47.06%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.46฿48.74
$4.15SEK 40.85
-64.82%
Potato(1kg)
$1.28฿42.65
$1.45SEK 14.32
-11.72%
Onion(1kg)
$1.06฿35.31
$1.53SEK 15.12
-30.72%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.72฿23.94
$1.88SEK 18.57
-61.70%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53฿17.56
$1.31SEK 12.93
-59.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.23฿141
$8.20SEK 80.8
-48.41%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.29฿611
$9.21SEK 90.8
98.59%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63฿54.4
$2.13SEK 20.96
-23.47%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90฿96.8
$2.44SEK 24.04
18.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Höllviken
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.88฿29.32
$3.42SEK 33.68
-74.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$53.8฿1,795
$79.7SEK 786
-32.57%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.17฿39.14
$6.61SEK 65.2
-82.30%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.58฿19.30
$1.77SEK 17.42
-67.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.39฿79.6
$51.8SEK 511
-95.39%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.45฿48.41
$1.78SEK 17.57
-18.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K฿701.4K
$34.5KSEK 340.3K
-39.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.4K฿882.0K
$34.4KSEK 339.4K
-23.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Höllviken
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$63.7฿2,125
$147SEK 1,444
-56.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.89฿430
$27.20SEK 268
-52.61%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.52฿685
$35.00SEK 345
-41.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Höllviken
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.02฿1,302
$39.72SEK 391
-1.76%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.92฿131
$26.38SEK 260
-85.14%
Cinema Ticket
$6.58฿220
$15.88SEK 156
-58.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Höllviken
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$784฿26.2K
$180SEK 1,776
335.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.7K฿489.8K
$5,130SEK 50.6K
186.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Höllviken
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.1฿1,840
$83.1SEK 819
-33.65%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.74฿826
$44.42SEK 438
-44.30%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$94.1฿3,142
$93.2SEK 919
0.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.0฿2,469
$112SEK 1,101
-33.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Höllviken
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$490฿16.4K
$831SEK 8,190
-41.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$288฿9,620
$615SEK 6,055
-53.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$891฿29.8K
$1,373SEK 13.5K
-35.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$521฿17.4K
$1,059SEK 10.4K
-50.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,974฿65.9K
$4,166SEK 41.1K
-52.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,444฿48.2K
$2,910SEK 28.7K
-50.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Höllviken
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$602฿20.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
3.02
84.44%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026
Last update for Höllviken: September 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $831 in Höllviken. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $74.0 in Höllviken. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $341 – 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 Höllviken: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Höllviken?
Höllviken costs about 91% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Höllviken?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,673 in Höllviken. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Höllviken?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Höllviken?
Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $180 in Höllviken. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Höllviken?
Groceries cost about 42% more in Höllviken, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or in Höllviken?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Höllviken at $1,782. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Höllviken it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Höllviken?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,782 in Höllviken. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Höllviken?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Höllviken?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Höllviken makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared