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 $905 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,791 in Hultsfred, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,374 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,804 in Hultsfred, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,843 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,817 in Hultsfred, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 49% cheaper than Hultsfred, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 33% below the global median, while Hultsfred is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.8

$15.46 SEK 146

-86.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.52 ฿645

$74.5 SEK 706

-73.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.94 ฿196

$14.74 SEK 140

-59.70%

Cappuccino

$1.70 ฿56.3

$4.77 SEK 45.16

-64.36%

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

$0.72 ฿23.75

$2.94 SEK 27.89

-75.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.71

$2.63 SEK 24.91

-87.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿80.7

$7.66 SEK 72.6

-68.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿121

$6.59 SEK 62.5

-44.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ฿61.3

$1.48 SEK 14.00

25.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿51.5

$2.88 SEK 27.26

-45.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.89

$3.22 SEK 30.55

-58.70%

Eggs

$2.16 ฿71.4

$4.76 SEK 45.14

-54.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.58 ฿514

$11.82 SEK 112

31.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.85 ฿94.0

$11.44 SEK 108

-75.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 ฿343

$15.83 SEK 150

-34.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 ฿80.4

$2.96 SEK 28.05

-17.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿35.95

$3.22 SEK 30.48

-66.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.53

$3.35 SEK 31.77

-56.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿49.22

$4.09 SEK 38.76

-63.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.58

$1.48 SEK 13.98

-18.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿35.84

$1.59 SEK 15.05

-31.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.71

$1.90 SEK 17.97

-63.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.96

$1.80 SEK 17.07

-71.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.37 ฿144

$9.26 SEK 87.8

-52.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 ฿549

$9.57 SEK 90.7

73.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 ฿54.4

$2.60 SEK 24.66

-36.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿90.6

$2.68 SEK 25.37

2.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.14

$3.20 SEK 30.30

-70.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.7 ฿1,808

$86.4 SEK 819

-36.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.50

$5.61 SEK 53.2

-78.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.93

$1.73 SEK 16.35

-67.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 ฿77.9

$54.5 SEK 516

-95.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿47.84

$1.80 SEK 17.07

-19.44%

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

$20.8K ฿688.2K

$34.1K SEK 323.5K

-38.96%

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

$26.3K ฿867.4K

$35.1K SEK 332.2K

-25.08%

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

$62.3 ฿2,058

$147 SEK 1,394

-57.64%

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

$13.01 ฿430

$27.62 SEK 262

-52.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.45 ฿642

$34.03 SEK 322

-42.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.68 ฿1,277

$43.52 SEK 412

-11.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.86 ฿127

$26.64 SEK 252

-85.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿218

$15.73 SEK 149

-57.91%

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

$782 ฿25.8K

$184 SEK 1,746

324.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿488.8K

$5,967 SEK 56.5K

148.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 ฿1,785

$81.4 SEK 772

-33.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.39 ฿838

$45.85 SEK 434

-44.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,003

$93.3 SEK 884

-2.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,442

$113 SEK 1,075

-34.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 ฿15.7K

$791 SEK 7,491

-39.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 ฿9,073

$572 SEK 5,422

-51.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 ฿29.1K

$1,464 SEK 13.9K

-39.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$528 ฿17.4K

$1,089 SEK 10.3K

-51.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,989 ฿65.7K

$3,851 SEK 36.5K

-48.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,476 ฿48.7K

$2,982 SEK 28.3K

-50.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$598 ฿19.7K

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: August 2, 2026

Last update for Hultsfred: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Chiang Mai versus $791 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 $75.0 in Hultsfred. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $358 – 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 98% 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 $1,358 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,686 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 $782 per month in Chiang Mai and $184 in Hultsfred. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% 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 $905, than in Hultsfred at $1,791. 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 $905 versus $1,791 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.