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 $942 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,764 in Hultsfred, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,427 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,736 in Hultsfred, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,912 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,708 in Hultsfred, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 47% cheaper than Hultsfred, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 30% below the global median, while Hultsfred is 31% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.7

$15.13 SEK 150

-86.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.91 ฿666

$70.4 SEK 699

-71.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.58 ฿187

$14.34 SEK 142

-61.09%

Cappuccino

$1.74 ฿58.1

$4.67 SEK 46.39

-62.74%

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

$0.72 ฿24.08

$2.80 SEK 27.85

-74.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.71

$2.62 SEK 25.99

-87.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 ฿75.3

$7.76 SEK 77.0

-71.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿128

$6.19 SEK 61.5

-38.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.6

$1.50 SEK 14.88

34.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.6

$2.74 SEK 27.17

-42.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.72

$3.02 SEK 30.03

-53.64%

Eggs

$2.15 ฿72.0

$4.68 SEK 46.48

-54.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.63 ฿523

$11.31 SEK 112

38.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.6

$11.03 SEK 109

-73.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 ฿318

$14.87 SEK 148

-36.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 ฿87.2

$2.82 SEK 28.01

-7.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 ฿36.19

$3.12 SEK 30.99

-65.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$3.27 SEK 32.48

-51.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.62

$3.96 SEK 39.36

-63.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.72

$1.41 SEK 14.01

-9.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.18

$1.52 SEK 15.11

-26.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ฿24.30

$1.85 SEK 18.40

-60.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.72

$1.73 SEK 17.22

-71.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿143

$8.60 SEK 85.4

-50.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.67 ฿591

$9.27 SEK 92.0

90.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ฿56.3

$2.46 SEK 24.44

-31.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿93.8

$2.52 SEK 25.00

11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿28.95

$3.76 SEK 37.38

-76.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.2 ฿1,814

$89.5 SEK 889

-39.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.59

$5.54 SEK 55.0

-78.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿18.03

$1.67 SEK 16.54

-67.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.9

$54.5 SEK 541

-95.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿48.98

$1.73 SEK 17.22

-15.61%

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

$21.0K ฿703.3K

$34.1K SEK 338.3K

-38.32%

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

$26.7K ฿893.4K

$33.0K SEK 327.7K

-19.11%

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

$62.1 ฿2,078

$144 SEK 1,428

-56.83%

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

$12.93 ฿433

$27.55 SEK 274

-53.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.61 ฿690

$33.74 SEK 335

-38.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.21 ฿1,312

$37.93 SEK 377

3.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿126

$26.28 SEK 261

-85.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 ฿218

$15.24 SEK 151

-57.22%

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

$803 ฿26.9K

$179 SEK 1,774

349.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.9K

$4,391 SEK 43.6K

234.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ฿1,870

$80.2 SEK 796

-30.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.51 ฿854

$43.35 SEK 430

-41.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 ฿3,048

$92.0 SEK 913

-0.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,453

$108 SEK 1,073

-32.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.2K

$853 SEK 8,467

-43.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,646

$515 SEK 5,110

-43.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 ฿29.6K

$1,481 SEK 14.7K

-40.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 ฿17.5K

$1,044 SEK 10.4K

-49.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,989 ฿66.6K

$3,736 SEK 37.1K

-46.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,440 ฿48.2K

$2,934 SEK 29.1K

-50.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.93

41.73%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 21, 2026

Last update for Hultsfred: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $853 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $70.0 in Hultsfred. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $344 – 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 87% 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 $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,646 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 $803 per month in Chiang Mai and $179 in Hultsfred. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% 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 $942, than in Hultsfred at $1,764. 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 $942 versus $1,764 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.