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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,802 in Ostersund, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,847 in Ostersund, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,892 in Ostersund, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 52% cheaper than Ostersund, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Ostersund is 34% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$13.38 SEK 126

-85.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$72.5 SEK 681

-74.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$10.76 SEK 101

-27.32%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$4.70 SEK 44.11

-58.51%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$2.82 SEK 26.46

-69.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$2.41 SEK 22.64

-85.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$7.59 SEK 71.3

-71.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$7.83 SEK 73.6

-52.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.56 SEK 14.68

9.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$3.05 SEK 28.64

-46.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$4.90 SEK 46.05

-76.73%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$3.59 SEK 33.72

-46.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$14.51 SEK 136

11.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$11.72 SEK 110

-73.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$16.19 SEK 152

-32.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$4.53 SEK 42.52

-39.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$3.09 SEK 28.99

-60.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$3.64 SEK 34.18

-55.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$4.14 SEK 38.89

-61.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$3.73 SEK 35.00

-62.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$1.78 SEK 16.72

-34.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$2.50 SEK 23.52

-73.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$1.51 SEK 14.18

-64.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$8.21 SEK 77.1

-42.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$10.85 SEK 102

71.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.91 SEK 17.94

-5.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.95 SEK 18.30

65.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$3.44 SEK 32.29

-73.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$74.1 SEK 696

-74.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$6.43 SEK 60.4

-78.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$1.64 SEK 15.44

-21.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$62.1 SEK 583

-87.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$2.09 SEK 19.64

-39.23%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$33.0K SEK 310.4K

-35.62%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$34.4K SEK 322.8K

-35.36%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$114 SEK 1,074

-39.59%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$28.69 SEK 269

-50.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$36.81 SEK 346

-51.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$41.30 SEK 388

-0.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$25.71 SEK 241

-72.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$15.52 SEK 146

-61.86%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$132 SEK 1,241

126.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$4,119 SEK 38.7K

262.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$94.1 SEK 884

-41.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$40.96 SEK 385

-34.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$99.1 SEK 931

-14.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$151 SEK 1,422

-53.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$831 SEK 7,807

-48.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$655 SEK 6,153

-63.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,390 SEK 13.1K

-42.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$1,097 SEK 10.3K

-53.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$4,366 SEK 41.0K

-54.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$3,010 SEK 28.3K

-50.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

10.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ostersund: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $831 in Ostersund. 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 Ostersund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $385 – 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 Ostersund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ostersund costs about 108% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,703 in Ostersund. 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 $132 in Ostersund. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% more in Ostersund, 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 $866, than in Ostersund at $1,802. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ostersund it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,802 in Ostersund. 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, Ostersund makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.