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 $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,922 in Lund, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,961 in Lund, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,999 in Lund, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 56% cheaper than Lund, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Lund is 44% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.5

$12.55 SEK 122

-83.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿631

$88.6 SEK 859

-78.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿265

$11.86 SEK 115

-33.90%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿65.0

$4.86 SEK 47.15

-60.29%

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

$0.83 ฿28.05

$2.93 SEK 28.38

-71.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.82

$2.17 SEK 21.00

-83.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.9

$8.41 SEK 81.6

-73.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$7.59 SEK 73.6

-50.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.62 SEK 15.72

1.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.4

$2.14 SEK 20.73

-27.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.86

$3.08 SEK 29.86

-61.69%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿68.0

$4.40 SEK 42.66

-54.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿545

$12.82 SEK 124

26.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$11.44 SEK 111

-73.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿366

$17.06 SEK 165

-36.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.4

$3.27 SEK 31.72

-18.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.21

$2.88 SEK 27.90

-57.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.9

$2.83 SEK 27.45

-42.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$4.31 SEK 41.82

-64.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.18

$1.68 SEK 16.29

-20.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.93

$1.64 SEK 15.87

-26.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.67

$2.57 SEK 24.89

-72.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.73

$1.30 SEK 12.57

-59.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$7.86 SEK 76.3

-40.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿598

$11.23 SEK 109

57.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.3

$1.97 SEK 19.13

-6.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$2.16 SEK 20.99

48.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.07

$3.31 SEK 32.07

-73.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿633

$65.5 SEK 635

-71.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.48

$5.67 SEK 55.0

-75.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.59

$1.83 SEK 17.77

-29.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿263

$63.1 SEK 612

-87.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.67

$1.89 SEK 18.36

-31.75%

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

$21.8K ฿734.7K

$32.3K SEK 313.6K

-32.68%

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

$21.7K ฿732.1K

$33.9K SEK 329.0K

-36.06%

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

$70.0 ฿2,362

$122 SEK 1,185

-42.72%

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

$14.19 ฿479

$29.02 SEK 281

-51.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿588

$40.92 SEK 397

-57.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,405

$39.02 SEK 378

6.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿233

$23.97 SEK 232

-71.26%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$18.24 SEK 177

-68.31%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$176 SEK 1,705

70.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿490.1K

$4,187 SEK 40.6K

246.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,869

$79.8 SEK 774

-30.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿888

$61.8 SEK 599

-57.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,863

$106 SEK 1,024

-19.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,379

$128 SEK 1,239

-44.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.4K

$970 SEK 9,409

-56.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,933

$757 SEK 7,337

-68.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.1K

$1,598 SEK 15.5K

-49.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$1,307 SEK 12.7K

-60.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿65.0K

$6,417 SEK 62.2K

-69.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿49.0K

$3,691 SEK 35.8K

-60.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

$2,987 SEK 29.0K

-80.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

4.17%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Last update for Lund: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Chiang Mai versus $970 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 410% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $89.0 in Lund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $352 – 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 127% 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 $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,883 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 $300 per month in Chiang Mai and $176 in Lund. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% 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 $847, than in Lund at $1,922. 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 $847 versus $1,922 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.