Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Hultsfred

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $960 a month against $1,790 in Hultsfred, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
86

Cost of Living Index in Hultsfred
Learn more

Hultsfred Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$960

/mo nomad

Hultsfred

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,790

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Hultsfred

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Hultsfred actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $960 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,790 in Hultsfred, rent included.

Chiang Mai $960
Hultsfred $1,790

A couple spends around $1,499 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,774 in Hultsfred, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,499
Hultsfred $2,774

A family of three spends $2,037 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,759 in Hultsfred, rent included.

Chiang Mai $2,037
Hultsfred $3,759

Chiang Mai is about 46% cheaper than Hultsfred, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 28% below the global median, while Hultsfred is 34% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.12 ฿70.8

$15.23 SEK 149

-86.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.74 ฿627

$70.2 SEK 687

-73.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.39 ฿180

$14.36 SEK 141

-62.47%

Cappuccino

$1.74 ฿58.1

$4.75 SEK 46.51

-63.37%

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

$0.71 ฿23.87

$2.90 SEK 28.39

-75.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.08

$2.66 SEK 26.05

-87.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 ฿79.8

$7.82 SEK 76.5

-69.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

$6.44 SEK 63.0

-40.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ฿66.7

$1.51 SEK 14.82

31.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ฿47.92

$3.08 SEK 30.19

-53.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 ฿45.34

$3.13 SEK 30.64

-56.55%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿77.2

$4.67 SEK 45.68

-50.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿557

$11.69 SEK 114

42.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.80 ฿93.8

$11.30 SEK 111

-75.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.38 ฿314

$15.33 SEK 150

-38.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 ฿83.1

$3.15 SEK 30.79

-21.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$3.15 SEK 30.83

-66.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$3.84 SEK 37.55

-55.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.5

$4.65 SEK 45.51

-64.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿44.26

$1.76 SEK 17.19

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.04

$1.54 SEK 15.10

-27.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.97 SEK 19.26

-62.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.54

$1.83 SEK 17.89

-69.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿146

$8.56 SEK 83.8

-48.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿589

$9.27 SEK 90.8

90.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿53.0

$2.45 SEK 23.97

-35.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ฿93.3

$2.53 SEK 24.73

10.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.77

$3.38 SEK 33.11

-74.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.4 ฿1,820

$77.1 SEK 755

-29.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿40.80

$5.86 SEK 57.4

-79.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ฿7.28

$1.71 SEK 16.69

-87.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 ฿58.7

$59.8 SEK 585

-97.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.38

$1.75 SEK 17.09

-17.14%

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

$21.0K ฿702.5K

$33.1K SEK 323.6K

-36.47%

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

$26.7K ฿893.5K

$34.1K SEK 334.0K

-21.70%

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

$63.5 ฿2,123

$146 SEK 1,432

-56.63%

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

$11.87 ฿397

$27.18 SEK 266

-56.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.59 ฿689

$34.01 SEK 333

-39.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.33 ฿1,449

$37.27 SEK 365

16.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.68 ฿157

$26.28 SEK 257

-82.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿221

$15.19 SEK 149

-56.42%

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

$743 ฿24.8K

$176 SEK 1,722

322.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿554.3K

$4,873 SEK 47.7K

240.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 ฿1,793

$81.2 SEK 795

-33.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 ฿844

$43.63 SEK 427

-42.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 ฿3,115

$90.8 SEK 889

2.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.1 ฿2,412

$111 SEK 1,089

-35.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$488 ฿16.3K

$816 SEK 7,990

-40.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 ฿10.7K

$604 SEK 5,914

-46.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,036 ฿34.7K

$1,403 SEK 13.7K

-26.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 ฿22.3K

$1,048 SEK 10.3K

-36.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,407 ฿80.5K

$4,049 SEK 39.6K

-40.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,647 ฿55.1K

$2,943 SEK 28.8K

-44.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿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: November 8, 2026

Last update for Hultsfred: November 9, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$320 33.4%

Hultsfred

$604 33.8% 88.6% $284

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$239 24.9%

Hultsfred

$362 20.2% 51.3% $123

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.5%

Hultsfred

$147 8.2% 33.9% $37

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$96 10%

Hultsfred

$208 11.6% 116% $112

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.1%

Hultsfred

$296 16.6% 281% $218

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$60 6.3%

Hultsfred

$105 5.9% 74.6% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$57 5.9%

Hultsfred

$68 3.8% 19.6% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $488 in Chiang Mai versus $816 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 in Chiang Mai versus $70 in Hultsfred. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $362 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇸🇪 Hultsfred

🕒 Local time

01:38 1:38 AM

19:38 7:38 PM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

14,090

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 SEK = 10.22 USD

100 SEK = 9.1 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.45 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.55 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of November 10, 2026: 1 USD = 9.79 SEK (1 SEK = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.99 SEK (100 SEK = 9.1 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Hultsfred 7,850 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Hultsfred

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 86% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,439 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,684 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $488 there versus $816 in Hultsfred.

Kindergarten costs $743 per month in Chiang Mai and $176 in Hultsfred. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% more in Hultsfred, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $960 in Chiang Mai and $1,790 in Hultsfred. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $960 in Chiang Mai to $1,790 in Hultsfred. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

For expats, Chiang Mai is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 46% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.