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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,706 in Mölndal, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,617 in Mölndal, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,527 in Mölndal, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Mölndal is 27% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$12.87 SEK 121

-84.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$74.6 SEK 700

-74.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$10.68 SEK 100

-27.43%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$4.83 SEK 45.31

-60.25%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$3.09 SEK 28.99

-74.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$1.03 SEK 9.68

-65.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$7.52 SEK 70.5

-70.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.27 SEK 58.8

-41.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.20 SEK 11.23

37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.57 SEK 14.70

3.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$3.34 SEK 31.29

-64.37%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$3.76 SEK 35.27

-46.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$7.13 SEK 66.9

124.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$9.28 SEK 87.1

-67.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$15.70 SEK 147

-30.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.09 SEK 28.99

-10.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.64 SEK 24.74

-55.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.89 SEK 27.12

-43.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$4.20 SEK 39.38

-63.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.71 SEK 16.03

-19.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.93 SEK 18.06

-38.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$2.00 SEK 18.74

-65.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$1.27 SEK 11.93

-55.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$7.39 SEK 69.3

-38.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$10.60 SEK 99.4

56.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.14 SEK 20.04

-14.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.60 SEK 24.34

23.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$3.86 SEK 36.20

-77.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$88.9 SEK 834

-78.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$6.41 SEK 60.1

-78.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.59 SEK 14.95

-15.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$61.8 SEK 579

-87.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.97 SEK 18.44

-37.56%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$32.0K SEK 299.8K

-32.35%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$35.1K SEK 328.9K

-35.69%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$76.0 SEK 713

-7.14%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$10.58 SEK 99.2

29.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$21.01 SEK 197

-16.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$36.97 SEK 347

11.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$30.32 SEK 284

-77.04%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$18.13 SEK 170

-68.17%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$172 SEK 1,616

78.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$4,086 SEK 38.3K

257.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$89.3 SEK 838

-37.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$39.76 SEK 373

-34.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$74.9 SEK 703

14.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$153 SEK 1,437

-52.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$850 SEK 7,976

-49.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$650 SEK 6,096

-63.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$1,393 SEK 13.1K

-41.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$1,093 SEK 10.3K

-53.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$4,290 SEK 40.2K

-53.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$3,005 SEK 28.2K

-50.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mölndal: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $850 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 $75.0 in Mölndal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $304 – 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,560 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $172 in Mölndal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% 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 $869, than in Mölndal at $1,706. 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 $869 versus $1,706 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.