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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,728 in Hultsfred, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,720 in Hultsfred, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,712 in Hultsfred, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 51% cheaper than Hultsfred, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Hultsfred is 29% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$15.52 SEK 144

-87.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$73.6 SEK 684

-74.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$10.62 SEK 98.8

-25.42%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$4.66 SEK 43.38

-59.01%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$2.92 SEK 27.12

-71.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$2.66 SEK 24.75

-86.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$7.42 SEK 69.0

-70.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$6.18 SEK 57.5

-38.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.48 SEK 13.72

10.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$2.48 SEK 23.07

-34.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$2.72 SEK 25.27

-56.62%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$4.75 SEK 44.17

-57.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$10.29 SEK 95.7

54.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$11.59 SEK 108

-74.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$10.41 SEK 96.9

3.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.66 SEK 24.75

-1.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.71 SEK 25.19

-54.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$3.16 SEK 29.35

-46.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$3.72 SEK 34.61

-57.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.47 SEK 13.71

-10.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.41 SEK 13.09

-17.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$2.01 SEK 18.65

-66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.67 SEK 15.49

-66.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$7.20 SEK 67.0

-37.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$14.60 SEK 136

24.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.44 SEK 22.70

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.70 SEK 15.84

90.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$3.29 SEK 30.61

-72.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$74.9 SEK 696

-74.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$4.65 SEK 43.29

-70.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.24 SEK 11.56

8.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$55.6 SEK 517

-85.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.91 SEK 17.72

-33.51%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$26.8K SEK 248.8K

-20.91%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$33.8K SEK 314.5K

-33.51%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$119 SEK 1,104

-40.93%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$28.37 SEK 264

-51.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$36.60 SEK 340

-51.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$41.02 SEK 381

1.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$25.81 SEK 240

-74.43%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$21.17 SEK 197

-72.70%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$147 SEK 1,364

108.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$4,110 SEK 38.2K

260.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$63.0 SEK 586

-13.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$31.57 SEK 294

-17.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$84.7 SEK 788

-0.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$100 SEK 932

-30.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$838 SEK 7,792

-49.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$657 SEK 6,114

-63.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$1,389 SEK 12.9K

-40.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,083 SEK 10.1K

-52.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$3,725 SEK 34.6K

-44.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$2,610 SEK 24.3K

-41.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Hultsfred: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $838 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $74.0 in Hultsfred. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $330 – 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 103% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,592 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 $306 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 36% 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 $852, than in Hultsfred at $1,728. 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 $852 versus $1,728 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.