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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,750 in Linkoping, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,802 in Linkoping, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,853 in Linkoping, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 46% cheaper than Linkoping, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Linkoping is 27% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$13.65 SEK 131

-84.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$66.6 SEK 637

-70.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$10.60 SEK 101

-46.70%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$4.55 SEK 43.48

-60.22%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$2.77 SEK 26.51

-74.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$2.23 SEK 21.33

-85.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$7.16 SEK 68.5

-68.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.52 SEK 71.9

-51.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.80 SEK 17.18

8.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$2.74 SEK 26.22

-45.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$3.15 SEK 30.11

-57.46%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$3.97 SEK 37.94

-43.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$12.24 SEK 117

32.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$11.99 SEK 115

-75.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$17.78 SEK 170

-44.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$3.15 SEK 30.14

-18.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$2.63 SEK 25.19

-59.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$2.03 SEK 19.40

-20.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$4.53 SEK 43.37

-66.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$1.53 SEK 14.68

-16.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$1.73 SEK 16.59

-38.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$2.09 SEK 20.03

-65.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$1.72 SEK 16.48

-70.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$7.33 SEK 70.1

-42.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$10.37 SEK 99.2

72.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$2.02 SEK 19.30

-16.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$2.36 SEK 22.61

20.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$3.52 SEK 33.67

-73.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

$80.3 SEK 768

-32.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$6.41 SEK 61.3

-80.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$1.73 SEK 16.56

-66.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$60.9 SEK 582

-96.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$1.84 SEK 17.63

-23.37%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$35.0K SEK 334.3K

-38.65%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$34.2K SEK 327.2K

-20.09%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$109 SEK 1,042

-41.54%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$19.78 SEK 189

-35.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$36.23 SEK 347

-44.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$40.01 SEK 383

-3.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$35.08 SEK 336

-88.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$16.67 SEK 159

-59.57%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$226 SEK 2,165

243.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$4,531 SEK 43.3K

222.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$91.1 SEK 871

-40.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$34.74 SEK 332

-26.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$96.1 SEK 920

-1.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$137 SEK 1,311

-46.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$842 SEK 8,051

-41.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$601 SEK 5,747

-51.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$1,299 SEK 12.4K

-31.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$1,219 SEK 11.7K

-57.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$4,563 SEK 43.6K

-57.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$2,836 SEK 27.1K

-47.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$2,705 SEK 25.9K

-77.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.06

82.03%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Linkoping: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $842 in Linkoping. 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 349% higher in Linkoping, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $67.0 in Linkoping. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $359 – 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 Linkoping: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Linkoping costs about 85% 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,625 in Linkoping. 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 $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $226 in Linkoping. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% more in Linkoping, 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 $947, than in Linkoping at $1,750. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Linkoping it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,750 in Linkoping. 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, Linkoping makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.