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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,763 in Hultsfred, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,730 in Hultsfred, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,696 in Hultsfred, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 52% cheaper than Hultsfred, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Hultsfred is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$15.75 SEK 147

-87.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$73.1 SEK 684

-74.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$10.37 SEK 97.0

-24.11%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$4.73 SEK 44.26

-58.77%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$2.91 SEK 27.26

-70.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$2.69 SEK 25.13

-88.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$7.47 SEK 69.9

-71.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$6.32 SEK 59.1

-41.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$1.53 SEK 14.27

8.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$2.48 SEK 23.23

-37.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$2.72 SEK 25.42

-56.25%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$4.68 SEK 43.79

-57.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$10.43 SEK 97.5

55.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$11.81 SEK 111

-73.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$10.41 SEK 97.4

4.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$2.62 SEK 24.52

1.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$2.79 SEK 26.11

-56.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$3.27 SEK 30.60

-49.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$3.81 SEK 35.66

-59.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$1.48 SEK 13.85

-10.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$1.42 SEK 13.26

-14.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$1.98 SEK 18.52

-65.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$1.72 SEK 16.10

-66.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$7.34 SEK 68.6

-36.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$9.45 SEK 88.4

79.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$2.34 SEK 21.85

-22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$1.66 SEK 15.50

91.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$3.45 SEK 32.24

-73.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

$74.4 SEK 696

-74.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$4.88 SEK 45.67

-71.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$1.19 SEK 11.09

12.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$54.8 SEK 513

-85.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$1.97 SEK 18.47

-35.03%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$26.1K SEK 244.4K

-16.45%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$33.7K SEK 314.8K

-33.44%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$120 SEK 1,126

-41.46%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$28.22 SEK 264

-50.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$36.00 SEK 337

-50.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$40.89 SEK 383

0.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

$25.67 SEK 240

-73.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$21.43 SEK 200

-72.19%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$147 SEK 1,376

105.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$4,212 SEK 39.4K

255.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$63.9 SEK 598

-14.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$31.31 SEK 293

-16.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$86.2 SEK 806

-0.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$98.3 SEK 920

-29.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$849 SEK 7,945

-49.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$663 SEK 6,199

-63.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$1,380 SEK 12.9K

-41.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$1,096 SEK 10.3K

-53.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$4,192 SEK 39.2K

-51.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$2,750 SEK 25.7K

-45.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.66

7.30%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Hultsfred: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $849 in Hultsfred. 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $73.0 in Hultsfred. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $323 – 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 Hultsfred: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hultsfred costs about 108% 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,645 in Hultsfred. 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 $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $147 in Hultsfred. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% more in Hultsfred, 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 $848, than in Hultsfred at $1,763. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hultsfred it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $1,763 in Hultsfred. 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, Hultsfred makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.