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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,653 in Mölndal, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,581 in Mölndal, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,508 in Mölndal, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 49% cheaper than Mölndal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Mölndal is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$12.88 SEK 118

-84.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$74.0 SEK 681

-75.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$10.47 SEK 96.3

-28.37%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$4.78 SEK 44.01

-59.62%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$2.96 SEK 27.24

-73.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$1.07 SEK 9.81

-70.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$7.17 SEK 66.0

-70.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$6.43 SEK 59.2

-42.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.23 SEK 11.33

39.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$1.62 SEK 14.93

-3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$3.33 SEK 30.60

-64.56%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$3.69 SEK 33.98

-46.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$7.33 SEK 67.5

118.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$9.66 SEK 88.9

-67.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$16.01 SEK 147

-31.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$3.10 SEK 28.51

-15.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$2.55 SEK 23.47

-54.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$2.88 SEK 26.51

-42.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$4.38 SEK 40.27

-64.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$1.73 SEK 15.90

-20.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$1.88 SEK 17.31

-37.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$1.93 SEK 17.72

-65.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$1.25 SEK 11.50

-59.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$7.47 SEK 68.8

-39.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$11.07 SEK 102

65.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$2.13 SEK 19.57

-15.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$2.56 SEK 23.59

24.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$3.71 SEK 34.14

-75.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$86.6 SEK 797

-78.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$6.53 SEK 60.0

-78.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$1.59 SEK 14.62

-17.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$62.6 SEK 576

-87.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.89 SEK 17.43

-32.28%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$33.2K SEK 305.5K

-35.87%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$34.5K SEK 317.1K

-37.04%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$76.0 SEK 699

-8.94%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$10.58 SEK 97.4

32.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$21.51 SEK 198

-16.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$36.28 SEK 334

16.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$29.58 SEK 272

-77.48%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$17.90 SEK 165

-66.93%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$178 SEK 1,637

68.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$4,098 SEK 37.7K

262.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$90.1 SEK 829

-37.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$39.59 SEK 364

-31.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$72.9 SEK 671

16.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$152 SEK 1,402

-52.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$832 SEK 7,657

-47.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$645 SEK 5,933

-62.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$1,382 SEK 12.7K

-42.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$1,064 SEK 9,787

-53.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$4,377 SEK 40.3K

-54.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$3,080 SEK 28.3K

-50.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

15.47%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Last update for Mölndal: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $832 in Mölndal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18 in Chiang Mai versus $74 in Mölndal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $309 – 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 Mölndal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mölndal costs about 96% 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 $2,480 in Mölndal. 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 Mölndal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Mölndal, 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 Mölndal at $1,653. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mölndal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $1,653 in Mölndal. 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, Mölndal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.