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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,639 in Karlskrona, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,583 in Karlskrona, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,528 in Karlskrona, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 43% cheaper than Karlskrona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Karlskrona is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$13.36 SEK 132

-84.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$67.3 SEK 663

-70.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$9.46 SEK 93.2

-40.06%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$4.09 SEK 40.27

-55.75%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.35 SEK 13.29

-42.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$2.28 SEK 22.49

-84.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$7.32 SEK 72.2

-69.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$5.14 SEK 50.7

-26.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.48 SEK 14.55

38.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$2.71 SEK 26.75

-44.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$3.74 SEK 36.84

-62.57%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$4.61 SEK 45.44

-50.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$10.87 SEK 107

48.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$13.28 SEK 131

-78.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$17.32 SEK 171

-45.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$3.15 SEK 30.99

-14.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.37 SEK 23.33

-54.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.95 SEK 29.10

-45.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$4.55 SEK 44.87

-67.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.51 SEK 14.89

-15.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.51 SEK 14.91

-29.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$2.15 SEK 21.19

-66.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$1.47 SEK 14.51

-63.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$7.15 SEK 70.5

-40.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$12.79 SEK 126

43.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.97 SEK 19.43

-17.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.76 SEK 17.30

64.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$3.03 SEK 29.91

-70.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$73.5 SEK 725

-26.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$13.58 SEK 134

-91.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$2.00 SEK 19.76

-71.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$82.2 SEK 810

-97.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.71 SEK 16.84

-15.20%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$33.2K SEK 327.0K

-36.68%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$33.4K SEK 329.3K

-20.92%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$52.6 SEK 518

20.98%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$28.34 SEK 279

-54.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$37.87 SEK 373

-45.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$42.28 SEK 417

-7.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$24.72 SEK 244

-84.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$16.62 SEK 164

-60.41%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$164 SEK 1,618

377.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$98.9 SEK 975

-44.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$20.68 SEK 204

19.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$81.8 SEK 806

15.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$178 SEK 1,756

-58.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$686 SEK 6,762

-28.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$597 SEK 5,879

-51.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$1,140 SEK 11.2K

-21.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$963 SEK 9,494

-45.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$2,944 SEK 29.0K

-32.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$2,555 SEK 25.2K

-43.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$2,546 SEK 25.1K

-76.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.22

31.99%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Karlskrona: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $686 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 323% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $67.0 in Karlskrona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $364 – 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 76% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,459 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $164 in Karlskrona. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% 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 $932, than in Karlskrona at $1,639. 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 $932 versus $1,639 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.