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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,752 in Ljungby, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,755 in Ljungby, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,758 in Ljungby, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Ljungby is 31% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$13.40 SEK 125

-85.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$91.0 SEK 851

-79.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$10.61 SEK 99.3

-25.82%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$4.20 SEK 39.30

-53.57%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$2.96 SEK 27.70

-71.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$2.52 SEK 23.58

-87.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$6.35 SEK 59.4

-66.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$7.89 SEK 73.8

-53.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$1.67 SEK 15.63

-0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$2.90 SEK 27.10

-46.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$3.20 SEK 29.91

-62.81%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$4.65 SEK 43.49

-57.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$8.68 SEK 81.2

87.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$9.41 SEK 88.0

-66.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$13.33 SEK 125

-18.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$3.13 SEK 29.24

-15.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$2.77 SEK 25.94

-55.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$3.02 SEK 28.27

-45.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$3.68 SEK 34.39

-57.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$1.73 SEK 16.15

-23.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$1.62 SEK 15.16

-25.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$2.20 SEK 20.54

-69.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$1.60 SEK 14.95

-64.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$7.83 SEK 73.2

-40.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$6.51 SEK 60.9

160.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$2.22 SEK 20.81

-18.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$2.49 SEK 23.26

27.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$3.32 SEK 31.01

-72.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

$75.2 SEK 703

-75.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$10.10 SEK 94.5

-86.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$1.65 SEK 15.39

-18.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$62.6 SEK 585

-86.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$1.94 SEK 18.15

-34.02%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$32.9K SEK 307.7K

-33.64%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$35.7K SEK 334.0K

-37.26%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$139 SEK 1,299

-49.25%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$25.14 SEK 235

-44.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$38.25 SEK 358

-53.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$39.72 SEK 372

3.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

$25.20 SEK 236

-73.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$17.49 SEK 164

-65.92%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$178 SEK 1,667

69.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$4,077 SEK 38.1K

266.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$89.6 SEK 838

-38.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$40.29 SEK 377

-34.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$98.3 SEK 919

-12.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$154 SEK 1,445

-54.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$848 SEK 7,933

-49.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$666 SEK 6,230

-64.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$1,370 SEK 12.8K

-40.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$1,082 SEK 10.1K

-52.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$4,210 SEK 39.4K

-51.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$2,974 SEK 27.8K

-49.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

$2,418 SEK 22.6K

-74.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

15.47%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Ljungby: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $848 in Ljungby. 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 288% higher in Ljungby, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $91.0 in Ljungby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $318 – 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 Ljungby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ljungby 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,628 in Ljungby. 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 $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $178 in Ljungby. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Ljungby, 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 $848, than in Ljungby at $1,752. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ljungby it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $1,752 in Ljungby. 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, Ljungby makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.