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 $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,744 in Köping, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,690 in Köping, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,636 in Köping, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Köping is 31% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.5

$12.95 SEK 126

-84.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿631

$68.3 SEK 663

-72.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿265

$10.60 SEK 103

-26.04%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿65.0

$4.70 SEK 45.59

-58.94%

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

$0.83 ฿28.05

$2.74 SEK 26.53

-69.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.82

$2.40 SEK 23.25

-85.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.9

$7.40 SEK 71.7

-70.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$7.35 SEK 71.2

-48.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.40 SEK 13.57

17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.4

$2.40 SEK 23.23

-35.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.86

$3.76 SEK 36.47

-68.62%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿68.0

$3.09 SEK 29.98

-34.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿545

$11.99 SEK 116

34.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$10.64 SEK 103

-71.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿366

$13.97 SEK 135

-22.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.4

$2.09 SEK 20.24

28.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.21

$2.31 SEK 22.36

-47.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.9

$3.07 SEK 29.74

-46.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$4.85 SEK 47.00

-68.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.18

$1.38 SEK 13.42

-2.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.93

$1.35 SEK 13.05

-10.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.67

$1.84 SEK 17.85

-61.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.73

$0.81 SEK 7.90

-34.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$7.48 SEK 72.5

-37.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿598

$10.32 SEK 100

71.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.3

$1.74 SEK 16.86

6.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$1.89 SEK 18.30

69.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.07

$3.29 SEK 31.94

-72.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿633

$73.4 SEK 712

-74.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.48

$5.54 SEK 53.7

-74.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.59

$1.66 SEK 16.07

-22.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿263

$21.50 SEK 209

-63.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.67

$1.77 SEK 17.16

-27.12%

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

$21.8K ฿734.7K

$32.9K SEK 319.0K

-33.83%

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

$21.7K ฿732.1K

$34.9K SEK 338.1K

-37.79%

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

$70.0 ฿2,362

$82.9 SEK 803

-15.54%

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

$14.19 ฿479

$15.93 SEK 155

-10.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿588

$26.59 SEK 258

-34.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,405

$40.83 SEK 396

1.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿233

$25.28 SEK 245

-72.75%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$16.06 SEK 156

-64.01%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$143 SEK 1,390

109.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿490.1K

$726 SEK 7,039

1900.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,869

$105 SEK 1,016

-47.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿888

$42.89 SEK 416

-38.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,863

$117 SEK 1,139

-27.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,379

$158 SEK 1,533

-55.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.4K

$852 SEK 8,266

-50.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,933

$657 SEK 6,369

-64.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.1K

$1,406 SEK 13.6K

-42.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$1,090 SEK 10.6K

-52.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿65.0K

$3,730 SEK 36.2K

-48.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿49.0K

$2,854 SEK 27.7K

-49.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

$3,126 SEK 30.3K

-81.25%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Köping: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Chiang Mai versus $852 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 433% 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 $68.0 in Köping. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $314 – 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 106% 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 $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,616 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 $300 per month in Chiang Mai and $143 in Köping. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% 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 $847, than in Köping at $1,744. 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 $847 versus $1,744 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.