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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,735 in Köping, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,643 in Köping, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,552 in Köping, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Köping is 29% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.8

$12.94 SEK 122

-85.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿611

$69.4 SEK 657

-73.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$10.50 SEK 99.3

-25.52%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿64.1

$4.59 SEK 43.40

-57.52%

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

$0.85 ฿27.90

$2.84 SEK 26.89

-70.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.64

$2.42 SEK 22.88

-85.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.9

$7.40 SEK 70.0

-71.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$7.28 SEK 68.9

-48.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.2

$1.38 SEK 13.09

23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.4

$2.47 SEK 23.40

-34.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.32

$3.85 SEK 36.47

-70.39%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.4

$3.11 SEK 29.45

-37.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿532

$12.09 SEK 114

34.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$10.62 SEK 100

-70.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿357

$14.18 SEK 134

-23.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.4

$2.09 SEK 19.79

31.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.70

$2.34 SEK 22.13

-48.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.2

$3.07 SEK 29.02

-47.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.1

$4.62 SEK 43.71

-65.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.91

$1.39 SEK 13.17

0.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.34

$1.39 SEK 13.11

-15.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.70

$1.91 SEK 18.03

-65.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.30

$0.86 SEK 8.11

-38.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿154

$7.20 SEK 68.1

-34.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿612

$10.70 SEK 101

74.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.0

$1.73 SEK 16.38

4.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.99 SEK 18.80

62.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.39

$3.47 SEK 32.80

-74.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

$74.4 SEK 704

-74.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.13

$5.72 SEK 54.1

-75.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.31

$1.59 SEK 15.07

-18.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿257

$20.90 SEK 198

-62.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$1.79 SEK 16.94

-29.05%

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

$21.3K ฿698.1K

$32.4K SEK 307.0K

-34.42%

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

$22.2K ฿728.8K

$34.8K SEK 329.1K

-36.14%

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

$69.1 ฿2,266

$85.6 SEK 810

-19.34%

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

$14.08 ฿462

$16.10 SEK 152

-12.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿591

$26.20 SEK 248

-31.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,347

$39.99 SEK 378

2.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

$25.45 SEK 241

-72.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿194

$16.01 SEK 152

-63.02%

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

$299 ฿9,811

$147 SEK 1,388

103.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.6K

$734 SEK 6,946

1936.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,795

$103 SEK 975

-46.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿878

$44.44 SEK 420

-39.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,788

$118 SEK 1,116

-27.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,316

$158 SEK 1,494

-55.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$824 SEK 7,797

-48.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,787

$646 SEK 6,113

-63.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.3K

$1,369 SEK 13.0K

-41.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$1,090 SEK 10.3K

-52.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.8K

$4,671 SEK 44.2K

-57.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.4K

$3,074 SEK 29.1K

-52.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.3K

$3,234 SEK 30.6K

-80.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

10.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Köping: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $824 in Köping. 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 424% higher in Köping, 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 Köping. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $317 – 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 Köping: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Köping costs about 100% 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 $2,603 in Köping. 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 $147 in Köping. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Köping, 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 Köping at $1,735. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Köping it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,735 in Köping. 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, Köping makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.