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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,792 in Linkoping, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,862 in Linkoping, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,932 in Linkoping, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 52% cheaper than Linkoping, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Linkoping is 34% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$12.92 SEK 121

-84.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$69.6 SEK 653

-73.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$10.63 SEK 99.7

-26.43%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$4.46 SEK 41.79

-56.28%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$2.77 SEK 25.99

-69.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$2.42 SEK 22.70

-85.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$7.30 SEK 68.5

-70.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$7.30 SEK 68.5

-48.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.76 SEK 16.54

-2.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$3.23 SEK 30.30

-49.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$3.95 SEK 37.04

-71.14%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$4.07 SEK 38.16

-52.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$13.86 SEK 130

16.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$11.68 SEK 110

-73.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$15.83 SEK 149

-31.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.53 SEK 33.15

-22.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.65 SEK 24.89

-54.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.56 SEK 14.59

3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$5.74 SEK 53.9

-72.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.54 SEK 14.44

-9.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.07 SEK 19.37

-43.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$2.79 SEK 26.13

-76.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.72 SEK 16.14

-69.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$7.48 SEK 70.1

-37.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$10.70 SEK 100

74.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.70 SEK 15.92

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.90 SEK 17.86

70.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$3.43 SEK 32.17

-73.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$78.9 SEK 740

-75.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$14.63 SEK 137

-90.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.65 SEK 15.44

-21.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$21.41 SEK 201

-63.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.91 SEK 17.91

-33.51%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$32.3K SEK 302.7K

-34.08%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$33.9K SEK 318.2K

-34.54%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$89.9 SEK 843

-23.20%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$28.23 SEK 265

-50.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$37.26 SEK 349

-51.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$43.79 SEK 411

-6.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$53.5 SEK 502

-86.99%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$16.01 SEK 150

-63.02%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$144 SEK 1,347

108.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$743 SEK 6,966

1913.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$106 SEK 995

-48.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$43.78 SEK 411

-38.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$114 SEK 1,072

-25.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$159 SEK 1,488

-55.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$812 SEK 7,618

-47.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$638 SEK 5,979

-62.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,287 SEK 12.1K

-37.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,079 SEK 10.1K

-52.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$4,863 SEK 45.6K

-59.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$2,997 SEK 28.1K

-50.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$2,849 SEK 26.7K

-78.33%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Linkoping: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $812 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 361% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $70.0 in Linkoping. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 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 Linkoping: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Linkoping costs about 107% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,688 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $144 in Linkoping. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% 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 $866, than in Linkoping at $1,792. 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 $866 versus $1,792 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.