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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,679 in Mölndal, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,593 in Mölndal, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,507 in Mölndal, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Mölndal is 26% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$12.62 SEK 122

-83.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$73.0 SEK 703

-74.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$10.46 SEK 101

-24.86%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$5.00 SEK 48.25

-59.40%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$3.05 SEK 29.42

-73.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$1.04 SEK 9.98

-66.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$7.23 SEK 69.7

-70.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$6.22 SEK 60.0

-41.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.25 SEK 12.01

38.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$1.56 SEK 15.08

0.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$3.19 SEK 30.72

-62.38%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$3.77 SEK 36.35

-47.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$7.23 SEK 69.7

124.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$9.62 SEK 92.8

-68.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$15.98 SEK 154

-32.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$3.14 SEK 30.24

-11.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$2.60 SEK 25.10

-55.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$2.88 SEK 27.73

-40.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$4.24 SEK 40.92

-62.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$1.64 SEK 15.85

-15.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$1.89 SEK 18.19

-38.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$1.97 SEK 18.97

-66.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$1.23 SEK 11.85

-57.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$7.54 SEK 72.7

-38.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$10.19 SEK 98.2

74.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$2.17 SEK 20.94

-17.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.57 SEK 24.79

29.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$3.77 SEK 36.32

-75.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$88.6 SEK 854

-78.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$6.68 SEK 64.4

-78.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$1.64 SEK 15.85

-18.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$61.2 SEK 590

-86.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$1.88 SEK 18.17

-34.57%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$32.5K SEK 313.0K

-33.98%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$35.0K SEK 337.9K

-37.74%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$76.4 SEK 737

-6.68%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$10.67 SEK 103

31.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$21.12 SEK 204

-15.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$36.31 SEK 350

12.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$29.45 SEK 284

-76.64%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$17.66 SEK 170

-67.61%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$179 SEK 1,721

72.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$4,077 SEK 39.3K

260.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$89.2 SEK 860

-37.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$39.99 SEK 386

-34.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$73.0 SEK 703

16.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$156 SEK 1,504

-54.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$851 SEK 8,201

-50.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$649 SEK 6,256

-62.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$1,372 SEK 13.2K

-41.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$1,090 SEK 10.5K

-53.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$4,122 SEK 39.7K

-53.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$2,901 SEK 28.0K

-49.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mölndal: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $851 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $73.0 in Mölndal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $305 – 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 97% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,518 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $179 in Mölndal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% 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 $852, than in Mölndal at $1,679. 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 $852 versus $1,679 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.