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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,828 in Lund, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,039 in Lund, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,250 in Lund, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 48% cheaper than Lund, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Lund is 33% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$13.31 SEK 129

-84.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$92.4 SEK 896

-78.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$12.27 SEK 119

-52.81%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$4.78 SEK 46.31

-61.72%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$2.78 SEK 26.99

-71.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$2.14 SEK 20.77

-85.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$8.51 SEK 82.5

-72.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$7.14 SEK 69.3

-48.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.71 SEK 16.60

18.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$2.80 SEK 27.18

-42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$3.92 SEK 37.98

-63.78%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$4.73 SEK 45.87

-53.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$13.08 SEK 127

21.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$12.28 SEK 119

-75.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$17.58 SEK 170

-43.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$3.15 SEK 30.52

-16.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$3.08 SEK 29.81

-64.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$2.84 SEK 27.52

-42.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$4.80 SEK 46.49

-68.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.80 SEK 17.45

-31.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.43 SEK 13.88

-20.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$2.74 SEK 26.57

-72.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$1.59 SEK 15.43

-68.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$8.43 SEK 81.7

-49.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$11.40 SEK 111

57.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$2.02 SEK 19.61

-15.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.83 SEK 27.41

2.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$3.30 SEK 31.95

-71.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$66.7 SEK 647

-17.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$5.35 SEK 51.9

-77.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.16 SEK 11.28

-54.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$43.36 SEK 420

-94.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.82 SEK 17.63

-20.88%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$34.0K SEK 329.6K

-37.67%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$34.6K SEK 335.8K

-21.18%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$81.5 SEK 790

-20.35%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$31.33 SEK 304

-57.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$42.78 SEK 415

-51.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$39.41 SEK 382

2.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$28.46 SEK 276

-86.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$15.81 SEK 153

-57.56%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$167 SEK 1,615

372.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$82.9 SEK 804

-32.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$59.4 SEK 576

-57.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$106 SEK 1,028

-12.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$128 SEK 1,239

-41.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$884 SEK 8,571

-45.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$707 SEK 6,850

-59.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$1,787 SEK 17.3K

-49.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$1,439 SEK 14.0K

-63.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$6,452 SEK 62.5K

-69.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$3,744 SEK 36.3K

-61.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$3,077 SEK 29.8K

-80.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.03

83.83%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Lund: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $884 in Lund. 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 408% higher in Lund, 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 $92.0 in Lund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $380 – 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 Lund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lund costs about 92% 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,742 in Lund. 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 $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $167 in Lund. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 57% more in Lund, 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 $950, than in Lund at $1,828. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lund it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,828 in Lund. 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, Lund makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.