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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,637 in Mölndal, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,572 in Mölndal, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,507 in Mölndal, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 43% cheaper than Mölndal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Mölndal is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$13.60 SEK 134

-84.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$71.5 SEK 705

-72.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$11.38 SEK 112

-50.18%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$5.08 SEK 50.1

-64.37%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$2.96 SEK 29.18

-73.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$1.06 SEK 10.47

-66.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$7.04 SEK 69.4

-68.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$6.19 SEK 61.0

-38.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.21 SEK 11.92

69.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.58 SEK 15.53

-4.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$3.22 SEK 31.76

-56.52%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$3.78 SEK 37.25

-40.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$7.11 SEK 70.1

127.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$9.37 SEK 92.3

-69.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$17.65 SEK 174

-46.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$3.19 SEK 31.45

-15.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.61 SEK 25.74

-58.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.95 SEK 29.08

-45.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$4.52 SEK 44.53

-67.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.68 SEK 16.60

-23.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.73 SEK 17.00

-38.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$1.94 SEK 19.13

-62.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$1.24 SEK 12.20

-57.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$7.61 SEK 75.0

-44.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$10.62 SEK 105

72.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$2.13 SEK 20.98

-23.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.35 SEK 23.17

23.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$3.76 SEK 37.08

-76.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$86.9 SEK 856

-38.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$6.28 SEK 61.8

-81.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.79 SEK 17.67

-67.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$61.0 SEK 601

-96.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.87 SEK 18.42

-22.46%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$34.2K SEK 337.0K

-38.56%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$34.8K SEK 343.2K

-24.13%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$44.46 SEK 438

43.16%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$10.52 SEK 104

22.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$20.48 SEK 202

0.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$41.31 SEK 407

-5.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$29.52 SEK 291

-86.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$18.86 SEK 186

-65.11%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$231 SEK 2,273

239.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$4,509 SEK 44.4K

225.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$91.0 SEK 896

-39.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$34.20 SEK 337

-27.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$71.7 SEK 707

31.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$140 SEK 1,380

-47.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$842 SEK 8,300

-41.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$623 SEK 6,138

-53.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$1,385 SEK 13.6K

-35.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$1,053 SEK 10.4K

-50.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$4,245 SEK 41.8K

-53.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$2,939 SEK 29.0K

-50.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

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 13, 2026

Last update for Mölndal: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $842 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $72.0 in Mölndal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $311 – 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 76% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,456 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $231 in Mölndal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% 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 $932, than in Mölndal at $1,637. 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 $932 versus $1,637 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.