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 $905 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,642 in Ljungby, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,374 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,656 in Ljungby, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,843 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,669 in Ljungby, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 45% cheaper than Ljungby, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 33% below the global median, while Ljungby is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.9

$13.12 SEK 125

-84.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.52 ฿646

$89.7 SEK 853

-78.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.94 ฿197

$12.82 SEK 122

-53.67%

Cappuccino

$1.70 ฿56.4

$4.11 SEK 39.11

-58.64%

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

$0.72 ฿23.81

$2.96 SEK 28.12

-75.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.74

$2.30 SEK 21.93

-86.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿80.9

$6.33 SEK 60.2

-61.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿121

$7.78 SEK 74.0

-52.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ฿61.5

$1.83 SEK 17.42

1.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿51.6

$2.77 SEK 26.31

-43.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.00

$3.21 SEK 30.56

-58.57%

Eggs

$2.16 ฿71.5

$4.05 SEK 38.55

-46.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.58 ฿516

$9.23 SEK 87.8

68.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.85 ฿94.2

$9.80 SEK 93.3

-70.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 ฿344

$14.28 SEK 136

-27.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 ฿80.6

$2.96 SEK 28.11

-17.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.04

$2.54 SEK 24.15

-57.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.65

$2.98 SEK 28.39

-50.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿49.34

$4.50 SEK 42.82

-66.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.67

$1.84 SEK 17.54

-34.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿35.92

$1.54 SEK 14.66

-29.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.76

$2.11 SEK 20.09

-67.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.00

$1.35 SEK 12.83

-62.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.37 ฿145

$8.59 SEK 81.8

-49.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 ฿551

$6.42 SEK 61.1

159.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 ฿54.5

$2.14 SEK 20.38

-22.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿90.8

$1.82 SEK 17.36

50.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.21

$3.19 SEK 30.34

-70.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.7 ฿1,812

$69.8 SEK 664

-21.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.60

$6.49 SEK 61.7

-81.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.98

$1.74 SEK 16.53

-67.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 ฿78.1

$61.4 SEK 584

-96.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿47.96

$1.83 SEK 17.42

-20.77%

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

$20.8K ฿689.9K

$35.0K SEK 332.5K

-40.38%

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

$26.3K ฿869.5K

$34.6K SEK 329.2K

-24.09%

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

$62.3 ฿2,063

$52.7 SEK 501

18.26%

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

$13.01 ฿431

$19.84 SEK 189

-34.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.45 ฿644

$31.20 SEK 297

-37.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.68 ฿1,280

$40.11 SEK 382

-3.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.86 ฿128

$25.61 SEK 244

-84.93%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿219

$19.38 SEK 184

-65.84%

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

$782 ฿25.9K

$256 SEK 2,434

205.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿490.0K

$4,575 SEK 43.5K

223.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 ฿1,789

$85.1 SEK 810

-36.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.39 ฿840

$35.54 SEK 338

-28.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,010

$95.8 SEK 911

-5.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,448

$107 SEK 1,014

-30.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 ฿15.7K

$847 SEK 8,058

-43.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 ฿9,095

$625 SEK 5,949

-56.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 ฿29.2K

$1,388 SEK 13.2K

-36.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$528 ฿17.5K

$1,057 SEK 10.1K

-50.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,989 ฿65.8K

$3,828 SEK 36.4K

-48.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,476 ฿48.9K

$3,544 SEK 33.7K

-58.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$598 ฿19.8K

$2,453 SEK 23.3K

-75.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.14

77.39%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 2, 2026

Last update for Ljungby: August 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Chiang Mai versus $847 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 310% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $90.0 in Ljungby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $320 – 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 81% 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 $1,358 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,464 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 $782 per month in Chiang Mai and $256 in Ljungby. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% 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 $905, than in Ljungby at $1,642. 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 $905 versus $1,642 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.