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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,813 in Lidingo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,745 in Lidingo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,677 in Lidingo, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Lidingo is 35% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$10.97 SEK 102

-82.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$56.1 SEK 522

-66.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.34 SEK 77.6

-5.04%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$3.07 SEK 28.52

-37.79%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$3.24 SEK 30.11

-74.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$2.59 SEK 24.10

-86.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$5.22 SEK 48.58

-57.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$4.80 SEK 44.63

-20.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.60 SEK 14.90

2.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$2.66 SEK 24.71

-39.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$3.75 SEK 34.87

-68.53%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$3.92 SEK 36.48

-48.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$11.95 SEK 111

32.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$12.71 SEK 118

-76.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$18.85 SEK 175

-42.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.35 SEK 31.11

-22.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.57 SEK 23.91

-52.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$3.61 SEK 33.59

-52.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$3.71 SEK 34.50

-57.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$2.17 SEK 20.17

-39.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$2.02 SEK 18.75

-42.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$2.84 SEK 26.45

-76.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.85 SEK 17.18

-69.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$7.69 SEK 71.5

-41.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$14.86 SEK 138

22.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.38 SEK 12.85

32.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.24 SEK 20.86

44.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$3.32 SEK 30.92

-73.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$75.3 SEK 700

-74.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$3.61 SEK 33.62

-62.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.59 SEK 14.79

-15.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$84.9 SEK 789

-90.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.91 SEK 17.73

-33.51%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$32.8K SEK 305.4K

-35.58%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$33.9K SEK 315.0K

-33.61%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$188 SEK 1,746

-62.64%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$29.24 SEK 272

-52.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$41.23 SEK 383

-57.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$40.30 SEK 375

3.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$25.50 SEK 237

-74.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$19.14 SEK 178

-69.80%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$159 SEK 1,474

93.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$4,198 SEK 39.0K

253.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$95.1 SEK 884

-42.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$41.91 SEK 390

-37.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$93.9 SEK 873

-9.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$122 SEK 1,132

-42.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$848 SEK 7,882

-50.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$642 SEK 5,971

-62.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$1,380 SEK 12.8K

-40.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,078 SEK 10.0K

-52.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$4,355 SEK 40.5K

-52.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$3,072 SEK 28.6K

-50.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$2,732 SEK 25.4K

-76.75%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Lidingo: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $848 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 330% 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 $56.0 in Lidingo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $380 – 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 113% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,720 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $159 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 $852, than in Lidingo at $1,813. 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 $852 versus $1,813 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.