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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,866 in Lidingo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,779 in Lidingo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,691 in Lidingo, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 53% cheaper than Lidingo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Lidingo is 39% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$11.28 SEK 106

-82.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$57.1 SEK 536

-67.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$8.64 SEK 81.1

-10.30%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$3.15 SEK 29.52

-39.05%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$3.22 SEK 30.23

-75.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$2.61 SEK 24.50

-86.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$5.30 SEK 49.76

-58.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.88 SEK 45.82

-25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.53 SEK 14.33

7.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.74 SEK 25.71

-40.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$3.94 SEK 36.95

-69.80%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$3.87 SEK 36.35

-48.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$11.72 SEK 110

36.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$12.67 SEK 119

-76.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$18.82 SEK 177

-42.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.26 SEK 30.58

-15.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.56 SEK 23.98

-53.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$3.41 SEK 32.01

-51.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$3.64 SEK 34.11

-58.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$2.10 SEK 19.71

-34.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.99 SEK 18.67

-40.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$2.80 SEK 26.31

-75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$1.86 SEK 17.47

-69.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$7.93 SEK 74.4

-42.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$14.19 SEK 133

16.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.39 SEK 13.02

31.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.16 SEK 20.29

48.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$3.33 SEK 31.25

-73.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$73.7 SEK 691

-74.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$3.61 SEK 33.84

-62.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.60 SEK 15.05

-16.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$84.6 SEK 794

-90.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.91 SEK 17.95

-35.60%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$32.1K SEK 301.3K

-32.67%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$34.1K SEK 319.8K

-33.87%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$190 SEK 1,787

-62.96%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$28.86 SEK 271

-52.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$41.73 SEK 391

-58.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$40.28 SEK 378

2.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$25.38 SEK 238

-72.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$19.56 SEK 183

-70.50%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$161 SEK 1,508

90.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$4,199 SEK 39.4K

247.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$96.7 SEK 908

-42.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$41.90 SEK 393

-37.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$92.6 SEK 868

-7.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$124 SEK 1,159

-41.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$831 SEK 7,791

-48.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$661 SEK 6,199

-63.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$1,388 SEK 13.0K

-41.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$1,061 SEK 9,955

-51.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$4,343 SEK 40.7K

-54.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$3,002 SEK 28.2K

-50.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$2,611 SEK 24.5K

-76.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.87

2.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Lidingo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $831 in Lidingo. 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 322% higher in Lidingo, 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 $57.0 in Lidingo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $376 – 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 Lidingo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lidingo costs about 115% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,799 in Lidingo. 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $161 in Lidingo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% more in Lidingo, 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 $869, than in Lidingo at $1,866. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lidingo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,866 in Lidingo. 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, Lidingo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.