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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,727 in Karlskrona, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,601 in Karlskrona, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,475 in Karlskrona, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 50% cheaper than Karlskrona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$13.17 SEK 127

-85.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$67.5 SEK 653

-72.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$9.28 SEK 89.9

-19.40%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$3.94 SEK 38.16

-48.73%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.45 SEK 14.06

-41.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$2.51 SEK 24.33

-85.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$7.47 SEK 72.3

-71.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$5.38 SEK 52.1

-33.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.52 SEK 14.69

8.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$2.82 SEK 27.28

-44.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$4.00 SEK 38.69

-70.25%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$3.94 SEK 38.11

-50.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$11.60 SEK 112

39.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$11.68 SEK 113

-74.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$15.98 SEK 155

-31.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.11 SEK 30.08

-12.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$2.53 SEK 24.50

-53.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$3.04 SEK 29.41

-44.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$4.68 SEK 45.31

-65.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.50 SEK 14.50

-8.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.56 SEK 15.09

-23.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$2.21 SEK 21.37

-69.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$1.47 SEK 14.20

-61.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$7.16 SEK 69.3

-35.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$12.85 SEK 124

37.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$2.02 SEK 19.58

-7.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.79 SEK 17.32

84.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$2.93 SEK 28.39

-69.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$65.2 SEK 631

-70.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$14.39 SEK 139

-90.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$1.59 SEK 15.38

-15.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$21.13 SEK 205

-61.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.94 SEK 18.77

-37.11%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$33.0K SEK 319.7K

-35.34%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$34.5K SEK 333.9K

-34.68%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$53.1 SEK 514

33.04%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$28.35 SEK 274

-50.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$37.07 SEK 359

-52.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$44.47 SEK 431

-5.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$24.19 SEK 234

-71.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$17.06 SEK 165

-65.30%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$142 SEK 1,377

116.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$745 SEK 7,216

1896.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$104 SEK 1,003

-46.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$21.05 SEK 204

24.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$83.5 SEK 809

-0.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$155 SEK 1,500

-54.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$705 SEK 6,824

-38.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$692 SEK 6,699

-65.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$1,146 SEK 11.1K

-28.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$998 SEK 9,663

-48.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$3,021 SEK 29.2K

-36.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$2,550 SEK 24.7K

-42.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$2,501 SEK 24.2K

-76.84%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Karlskrona: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $705 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 332% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $67.0 in Karlskrona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $356 – 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 101% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,591 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $142 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 $861, than in Karlskrona at $1,727. 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 $861 versus $1,727 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.