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 $942 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,608 in Ljungby, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,427 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,559 in Ljungby, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,912 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,509 in Ljungby, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 41% cheaper than Ljungby, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 30% below the global median, while Ljungby is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.7

$13.01 SEK 129

-84.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.91 ฿666

$91.2 SEK 905

-78.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.58 ฿187

$13.41 SEK 133

-58.39%

Cappuccino

$1.74 ฿58.1

$4.05 SEK 40.21

-57.04%

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

$0.72 ฿24.08

$2.92 SEK 28.99

-75.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.71

$2.26 SEK 22.40

-85.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 ฿75.3

$6.26 SEK 62.1

-64.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿128

$7.58 SEK 75.3

-49.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.6

$1.73 SEK 17.17

16.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.6

$2.80 SEK 27.82

-43.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.72

$3.09 SEK 30.67

-54.69%

Eggs

$2.15 ฿72.0

$3.99 SEK 39.63

-46.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.63 ฿523

$9.13 SEK 90.7

71.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.6

$9.80 SEK 97.3

-69.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 ฿318

$13.83 SEK 137

-31.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 ฿87.2

$2.86 SEK 28.43

-9.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 ฿36.19

$2.62 SEK 26.00

-58.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$3.04 SEK 30.17

-47.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.62

$4.47 SEK 44.41

-67.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.72

$1.77 SEK 17.55

-27.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.18

$1.49 SEK 14.84

-25.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ฿24.30

$2.06 SEK 20.41

-64.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.72

$1.27 SEK 12.61

-60.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿143

$7.98 SEK 79.3

-46.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.67 ฿591

$6.02 SEK 59.8

193.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ฿56.3

$2.08 SEK 20.70

-19.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿93.8

$1.86 SEK 18.49

50.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿28.95

$3.35 SEK 33.24

-74.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.2 ฿1,814

$79.0 SEK 784

-31.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.59

$6.23 SEK 61.8

-80.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿18.03

$1.74 SEK 17.26

-68.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.9

$59.8 SEK 594

-96.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿48.98

$1.70 SEK 16.90

-14.12%

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

$21.0K ฿703.3K

$33.2K SEK 330.0K

-36.76%

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

$26.7K ฿893.4K

$34.4K SEK 342.1K

-22.51%

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

$62.1 ฿2,078

$50.7 SEK 503

22.52%

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

$12.93 ฿433

$19.70 SEK 196

-34.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.61 ฿690

$30.28 SEK 301

-31.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.21 ฿1,312

$38.59 SEK 383

1.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿126

$25.73 SEK 256

-85.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 ฿218

$19.36 SEK 192

-66.32%

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

$803 ฿26.9K

$222 SEK 2,209

260.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.9K

$4,461 SEK 44.3K

229.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ฿1,870

$81.7 SEK 811

-31.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.51 ฿854

$34.35 SEK 341

-25.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 ฿3,048

$94.1 SEK 935

-3.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,453

$104 SEK 1,030

-29.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.2K

$815 SEK 8,096

-40.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,646

$617 SEK 6,126

-53.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 ฿29.6K

$1,402 SEK 13.9K

-36.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 ฿17.5K

$1,030 SEK 10.2K

-49.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,989 ฿66.6K

$4,114 SEK 40.8K

-51.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,440 ฿48.2K

$2,889 SEK 28.7K

-50.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 ฿20.2K

$2,380 SEK 23.6K

-74.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.06

82.03%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 21, 2026

Last update for Ljungby: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $815 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 295% 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 $91.0 in Ljungby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $314 – 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 71% 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 $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,412 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 $803 per month in Chiang Mai and $222 in Ljungby. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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 $942, than in Ljungby at $1,608. 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 $942 versus $1,608 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.