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 $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,894 in Lund, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,956 in Lund, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,019 in Lund, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 55% cheaper than Lund, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Lund is 41% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$12.84 SEK 118

-84.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$87.4 SEK 804

-78.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$11.94 SEK 110

-37.19%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$5.06 SEK 46.55

-61.86%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$2.94 SEK 27.06

-73.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$2.14 SEK 19.65

-85.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$8.35 SEK 76.8

-74.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$7.28 SEK 66.9

-49.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.61 SEK 14.86

6.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$2.20 SEK 20.26

-29.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$2.95 SEK 27.18

-60.00%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$4.36 SEK 40.14

-54.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$12.73 SEK 117

26.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$11.62 SEK 107

-72.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$17.12 SEK 158

-36.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$3.28 SEK 30.19

-19.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$2.87 SEK 26.36

-59.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$2.91 SEK 26.82

-43.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$4.54 SEK 41.78

-66.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$1.73 SEK 15.90

-20.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$1.63 SEK 15.01

-28.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$2.52 SEK 23.14

-73.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$1.29 SEK 11.83

-60.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$8.20 SEK 75.4

-44.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$11.02 SEK 101

66.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$2.05 SEK 18.88

-12.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$2.17 SEK 19.92

46.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$3.40 SEK 31.28

-73.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$67.4 SEK 620

-71.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$5.38 SEK 49.48

-73.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$1.89 SEK 17.37

-30.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$64.2 SEK 590

-87.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.96 SEK 18.02

-34.69%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$32.2K SEK 296.6K

-33.95%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$33.6K SEK 309.5K

-35.48%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$122 SEK 1,119

-43.11%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$28.24 SEK 260

-50.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$41.60 SEK 383

-56.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$39.72 SEK 365

6.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$24.39 SEK 224

-72.69%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$18.27 SEK 168

-67.60%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$178 SEK 1,635

68.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$4,200 SEK 38.6K

253.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$79.3 SEK 729

-29.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$61.7 SEK 567

-56.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$106 SEK 980

-20.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$127 SEK 1,169

-43.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$958 SEK 8,810

-54.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$759 SEK 6,987

-68.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$1,630 SEK 15.0K

-51.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$1,305 SEK 12.0K

-61.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$6,585 SEK 60.6K

-69.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$3,854 SEK 35.5K

-60.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$3,168 SEK 29.1K

-80.17%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Lund: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $958 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 404% 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $87 in Lund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $354 – 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 124% 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,841 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $178 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 $845, than in Lund at $1,894. 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 $845 versus $1,894 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.