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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,768 in Karlskrona, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,652 in Karlskrona, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,535 in Karlskrona, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Karlskrona is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$13.32 SEK 124

-85.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$69.1 SEK 645

-73.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$9.22 SEK 86.0

-15.18%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.98 SEK 37.16

-51.01%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.45 SEK 13.48

-41.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$2.51 SEK 23.44

-86.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$7.21 SEK 67.3

-70.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$5.33 SEK 49.78

-30.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.60 SEK 14.88

6.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.84 SEK 26.45

-42.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$3.84 SEK 35.80

-70.31%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$4.07 SEK 38.01

-52.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.49 SEK 107

41.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$11.95 SEK 111

-73.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$15.94 SEK 149

-31.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.23 SEK 30.13

-14.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.43 SEK 22.69

-50.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$3.21 SEK 29.96

-49.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$4.64 SEK 43.31

-65.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.51 SEK 14.07

-7.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.60 SEK 14.88

-26.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$2.22 SEK 20.69

-70.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.45 SEK 13.49

-63.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$7.48 SEK 69.8

-37.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$13.48 SEK 126

38.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.10 SEK 19.59

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.77 SEK 16.55

82.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$3.03 SEK 28.24

-70.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$65.2 SEK 608

-70.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$14.57 SEK 136

-90.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.66 SEK 15.47

-22.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$21.00 SEK 196

-62.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.87 SEK 17.49

-32.09%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$33.1K SEK 308.6K

-35.66%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$34.1K SEK 317.7K

-34.77%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$53.3 SEK 497

29.66%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$28.37 SEK 265

-50.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$36.87 SEK 344

-51.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$43.31 SEK 404

-5.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$24.03 SEK 224

-71.04%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$17.05 SEK 159

-65.28%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$146 SEK 1,358

105.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$753 SEK 7,026

1885.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$104 SEK 967

-47.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$20.86 SEK 195

28.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$85.2 SEK 795

-0.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$154 SEK 1,434

-54.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$716 SEK 6,679

-40.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$690 SEK 6,435

-65.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,149 SEK 10.7K

-30.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,002 SEK 9,348

-48.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$3,141 SEK 29.3K

-37.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$2,664 SEK 24.9K

-44.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$2,640 SEK 24.6K

-76.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.7

6.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Karlskrona: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $716 in Karlskrona. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 328% higher in Karlskrona, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $69.0 in Karlskrona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $360 – 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 Karlskrona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karlskrona costs about 104% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,652 in Karlskrona. 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $146 in Karlskrona. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Karlskrona, 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 $866, than in Karlskrona at $1,768. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Karlskrona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,768 in Karlskrona. 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, Karlskrona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.