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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,123 in Skelleftea, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,198 in Skelleftea, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,273 in Skelleftea, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 60% cheaper than Skelleftea, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Skelleftea is 59% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$14.46 SEK 135

-86.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$68.5 SEK 641

-73.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$13.20 SEK 124

-40.38%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$4.68 SEK 43.74

-58.33%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$2.55 SEK 23.85

-66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$2.05 SEK 19.21

-84.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$8.96 SEK 83.8

-76.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$8.49 SEK 79.4

-56.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$1.69 SEK 15.79

-1.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$2.63 SEK 24.56

-40.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$5.14 SEK 48.12

-76.85%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$4.96 SEK 46.36

-59.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$11.86 SEK 111

36.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$11.69 SEK 109

-72.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$22.17 SEK 207

-51.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$2.58 SEK 24.10

2.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$2.55 SEK 23.87

-52.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$3.27 SEK 30.60

-49.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$3.79 SEK 35.42

-59.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$2.12 SEK 19.88

-37.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$1.64 SEK 15.32

-26.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$2.34 SEK 21.93

-70.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$1.46 SEK 13.69

-60.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$7.49 SEK 70.0

-37.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$15.78 SEK 148

7.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$1.78 SEK 16.68

2.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$1.76 SEK 16.50

80.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$4.27 SEK 39.94

-78.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

$56.9 SEK 532

-67.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$8.26 SEK 77.2

-82.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$2.01 SEK 18.77

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$59.8 SEK 560

-86.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$1.98 SEK 18.49

-35.35%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$32.4K SEK 303.3K

-32.68%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$34.3K SEK 320.4K

-34.60%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$171 SEK 1,602

-58.86%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$31.69 SEK 296

-55.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$27.57 SEK 258

-35.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$40.45 SEK 378

2.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

$25.40 SEK 238

-73.39%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$16.06 SEK 150

-62.89%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$151 SEK 1,413

100.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$4,059 SEK 38.0K

268.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$97.4 SEK 911

-43.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$41.14 SEK 385

-36.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$83.5 SEK 781

2.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$162 SEK 1,512

-56.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$1,285 SEK 12.0K

-66.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$854 SEK 7,988

-72.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$1,781 SEK 16.7K

-54.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$1,392 SEK 13.0K

-63.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$4,544 SEK 42.5K

-55.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$2,590 SEK 24.2K

-42.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

$2,664 SEK 24.9K

-76.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

11.11%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Skelleftea: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,285 in Skelleftea. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 328% higher in Skelleftea, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $69.0 in Skelleftea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 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 Skelleftea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skelleftea costs about 150% 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,185 in Skelleftea. 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 $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $151 in Skelleftea. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% more in Skelleftea, 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 $848, than in Skelleftea at $2,123. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skelleftea it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $2,123 in Skelleftea. 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, Skelleftea makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.