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 $872 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,797 in Linkoping, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,809 in Linkoping, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,821 in Linkoping, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 51% cheaper than Linkoping, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Linkoping is 33% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.5

$13.09 SEK 120

-84.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$69.5 SEK 639

-73.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$10.48 SEK 96.3

-27.00%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$4.50 SEK 41.36

-57.33%

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

$0.84 ฿26.97

$2.68 SEK 24.62

-68.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$2.43 SEK 22.33

-85.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

$7.60 SEK 69.8

-71.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$7.31 SEK 67.2

-48.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$1.86 SEK 17.13

-11.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.0

$3.18 SEK 29.19

-49.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.98

$3.95 SEK 36.34

-70.89%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.2

$4.07 SEK 37.39

-52.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$13.95 SEK 128

14.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.5

$11.84 SEK 109

-73.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

$15.84 SEK 146

-30.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.8

$3.50 SEK 32.17

-22.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.80

$2.62 SEK 24.08

-54.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.7

$1.56 SEK 14.36

9.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.5

$5.60 SEK 51.4

-71.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.66

$1.52 SEK 13.94

-8.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.81

$2.07 SEK 19.00

-44.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.83

$2.74 SEK 25.14

-74.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.65

$1.73 SEK 15.88

-68.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$7.52 SEK 69.1

-39.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

$12.86 SEK 118

46.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$1.77 SEK 16.25

2.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$1.94 SEK 17.87

65.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.24

$3.58 SEK 32.92

-75.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿606

$79.6 SEK 731

-76.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.30

$14.73 SEK 135

-90.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.71

$1.66 SEK 15.23

-21.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$21.01 SEK 193

-60.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.29

$1.98 SEK 18.16

-37.88%

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

$21.2K ฿678.9K

$32.5K SEK 298.5K

-34.82%

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

$22.3K ฿715.3K

$34.6K SEK 317.7K

-35.46%

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

$69.9 ฿2,240

$88.9 SEK 817

-21.40%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$28.47 SEK 262

-50.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$36.72 SEK 337

-51.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,328

$43.14 SEK 396

-4.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿215

$52.6 SEK 483

-87.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$15.85 SEK 146

-63.79%

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

$299 ฿9,593

$147 SEK 1,351

103.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿481.2K

$724 SEK 6,653

1973.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,758

$104 SEK 952

-47.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿845

$42.87 SEK 394

-38.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,714

$118 SEK 1,087

-28.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,236

$157 SEK 1,440

-55.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$815 SEK 7,487

-47.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,718

$628 SEK 5,771

-61.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

$1,289 SEK 11.8K

-37.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

$1,111 SEK 10.2K

-55.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

$4,744 SEK 43.6K

-57.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.9K

$2,962 SEK 27.2K

-48.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

$2,890 SEK 26.6K

-77.88%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Linkoping: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Chiang Mai versus $815 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 352% 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $70 in Linkoping. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $377 – 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 106% 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 $1,308 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,695 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 $147 in Linkoping. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% 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 $872, than in Linkoping at $1,797. 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 $872 versus $1,797 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.