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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,802 in Ljungby, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,824 in Ljungby, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,847 in Ljungby, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 53% cheaper than Ljungby, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Ljungby is 35% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$13.23 SEK 123

-85.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$93.4 SEK 868

-79.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$10.40 SEK 96.8

-23.85%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$4.28 SEK 39.76

-55.37%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$2.99 SEK 27.77

-71.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$2.61 SEK 24.28

-86.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$6.40 SEK 59.5

-65.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$7.74 SEK 72.0

-50.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.74 SEK 16.18

-5.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$3.00 SEK 27.91

-46.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$3.37 SEK 31.30

-64.99%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$4.49 SEK 41.75

-55.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$8.30 SEK 77.2

91.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$9.57 SEK 89.0

-68.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$13.23 SEK 123

-18.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.02 SEK 28.07

-13.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.76 SEK 25.63

-55.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.87 SEK 26.73

-40.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$3.76 SEK 34.95

-57.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.66 SEK 15.46

-20.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.53 SEK 14.26

-23.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$2.27 SEK 21.10

-70.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.62 SEK 15.06

-65.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$7.76 SEK 72.1

-41.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$6.61 SEK 61.4

175.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.19 SEK 20.35

-16.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.57 SEK 23.88

25.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$3.46 SEK 32.16

-74.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$75.3 SEK 700

-74.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$10.43 SEK 97.0

-87.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.58 SEK 14.72

-14.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$62.8 SEK 584

-86.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.90 SEK 17.66

-33.16%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$32.5K SEK 302.1K

-34.87%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$34.8K SEK 323.3K

-35.33%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$139 SEK 1,294

-49.59%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$25.73 SEK 239

-46.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$38.19 SEK 355

-53.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$41.11 SEK 382

1.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$25.08 SEK 233

-73.68%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$18.09 SEK 168

-68.05%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$174 SEK 1,622

75.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$4,067 SEK 37.8K

264.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$88.5 SEK 823

-38.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$39.29 SEK 365

-33.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$98.3 SEK 914

-13.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$154 SEK 1,431

-54.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$823 SEK 7,653

-48.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$662 SEK 6,156

-64.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$1,381 SEK 12.8K

-40.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,070 SEK 9,951

-51.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$3,772 SEK 35.1K

-45.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$3,405 SEK 31.7K

-55.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$2,453 SEK 22.8K

-74.11%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ljungby: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $823 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 286% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $93.0 in Ljungby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $319 – 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 111% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,702 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $174 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 $852, than in Ljungby at $1,802. 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 $852 versus $1,802 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.