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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,121 in Skelleftea, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,194 in Skelleftea, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,267 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 58% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$14.88 SEK 138

-86.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$68.3 SEK 635

-72.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$13.03 SEK 121

-39.22%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$4.70 SEK 43.68

-59.36%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$2.48 SEK 23.11

-66.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$2.00 SEK 18.62

-82.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$9.18 SEK 85.4

-75.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$8.42 SEK 78.3

-54.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.70 SEK 15.85

-3.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$2.68 SEK 24.89

-39.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$4.97 SEK 46.19

-76.26%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$4.72 SEK 43.89

-57.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$11.83 SEK 110

34.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$11.58 SEK 108

-74.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$22.62 SEK 210

-52.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.59 SEK 24.08

0.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.58 SEK 24.01

-52.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$3.29 SEK 30.59

-48.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$3.74 SEK 34.82

-57.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$2.22 SEK 20.61

-40.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.59 SEK 14.79

-26.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$2.43 SEK 22.60

-72.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.44 SEK 13.39

-61.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$7.10 SEK 66.1

-36.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$16.42 SEK 153

10.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.78 SEK 16.55

2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.75 SEK 16.28

84.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$4.25 SEK 39.52

-79.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$56.8 SEK 528

-65.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$8.33 SEK 77.4

-83.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$2.06 SEK 19.13

-34.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$58.4 SEK 543

-85.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.88 SEK 17.46

-32.45%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$32.8K SEK 304.7K

-35.43%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$34.7K SEK 322.7K

-35.19%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$172 SEK 1,597

-59.14%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$32.13 SEK 299

-57.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$28.47 SEK 265

-38.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$41.21 SEK 383

0.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$25.29 SEK 235

-73.90%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$15.59 SEK 145

-62.92%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$152 SEK 1,411

101.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$4,175 SEK 38.8K

255.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$99.0 SEK 920

-45.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$41.47 SEK 386

-36.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$84.2 SEK 783

0.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$164 SEK 1,527

-57.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$1,272 SEK 11.8K

-66.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$868 SEK 8,068

-72.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$1,725 SEK 16.0K

-52.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,400 SEK 13.0K

-63.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$4,757 SEK 44.2K

-56.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$3,438 SEK 32.0K

-55.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$2,775 SEK 25.8K

-77.11%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Skelleftea: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $1,272 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 337% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $68.0 in Skelleftea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $386 – 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 149% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,181 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $152 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 $852, than in Skelleftea at $2,121. 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 $852 versus $2,121 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.