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 $1,862 in Lidingo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,750 in Lidingo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,637 in Lidingo, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 54% cheaper than Lidingo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Lidingo is 40% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.3

$10.91 SEK 104

-81.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿625

$55.4 SEK 530

-66.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$8.60 SEK 82.2

-8.60%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.8

$3.21 SEK 30.75

-36.76%

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

$0.80 ฿26.67

$3.23 SEK 30.94

-75.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.69

$2.61 SEK 24.95

-86.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.6

$5.33 SEK 51.0

-59.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$4.69 SEK 44.89

-21.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$1.61 SEK 15.38

7.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$2.62 SEK 25.05

-40.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.04

$3.83 SEK 36.62

-68.67%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.9

$3.83 SEK 36.65

-48.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿542

$11.91 SEK 114

36.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$12.27 SEK 117

-75.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$18.84 SEK 180

-42.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.5

$3.37 SEK 32.21

-17.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$2.56 SEK 24.50

-54.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$3.46 SEK 33.05

-50.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$3.72 SEK 35.63

-57.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.56

$2.08 SEK 19.94

-33.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.61

$2.02 SEK 19.33

-42.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.08

$2.91 SEK 27.88

-77.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.33

$1.84 SEK 17.58

-71.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$7.89 SEK 75.4

-41.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿594

$12.51 SEK 120

42.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.7

$1.45 SEK 13.91

23.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.27 SEK 21.68

47.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.30

$3.47 SEK 33.16

-73.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿623

$73.1 SEK 699

-74.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.10

$3.80 SEK 36.36

-62.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.76

$1.60 SEK 15.34

-16.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$85.3 SEK 816

-90.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.21

$1.97 SEK 18.87

-37.56%

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

$21.4K ฿715.9K

$32.1K SEK 306.7K

-33.14%

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

$21.8K ฿728.9K

$34.8K SEK 332.8K

-37.27%

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

$71.3 ฿2,382

$191 SEK 1,823

-62.56%

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

$14.01 ฿468

$29.33 SEK 281

-52.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿599

$41.18 SEK 394

-56.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,363

$39.80 SEK 381

2.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$24.85 SEK 238

-72.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$19.33 SEK 185

-70.41%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$156 SEK 1,488

98.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿490.3K

$4,159 SEK 39.8K

252.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,863

$94.4 SEK 903

-40.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿870

$41.92 SEK 401

-37.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,833

$92.8 SEK 888

-8.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,371

$126 SEK 1,207

-43.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$846 SEK 8,091

-49.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,098

$657 SEK 6,288

-63.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$1,378 SEK 13.2K

-42.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$1,077 SEK 10.3K

-52.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.1K

$4,031 SEK 38.6K

-52.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.9K

$2,872 SEK 27.5K

-49.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$2,581 SEK 24.7K

-76.95%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Lidingo: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $846 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 334% 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 $55.0 in Lidingo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $372 – 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 118% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,793 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $156 in Lidingo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% 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 $1,862. 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 $1,862 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.