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 $2,089 in Skelleftea, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,117 in Skelleftea, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,145 in Skelleftea, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 59% cheaper than Skelleftea, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Skelleftea is 57% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$14.55 SEK 138

-85.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$68.7 SEK 653

-72.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$13.00 SEK 124

-39.54%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$4.83 SEK 45.85

-57.97%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$2.57 SEK 24.37

-68.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$2.06 SEK 19.58

-83.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$9.13 SEK 86.7

-76.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$8.19 SEK 77.8

-55.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.61 SEK 15.31

7.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$2.75 SEK 26.13

-42.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$5.05 SEK 47.97

-76.24%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$4.95 SEK 46.98

-60.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$11.73 SEK 111

38.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$11.34 SEK 108

-73.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$22.94 SEK 218

-52.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.70 SEK 25.67

2.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.51 SEK 23.89

-53.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$3.26 SEK 30.99

-47.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$3.70 SEK 35.16

-57.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$2.13 SEK 20.21

-34.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.60 SEK 15.17

-27.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$2.40 SEK 22.76

-72.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.46 SEK 13.91

-64.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$7.26 SEK 68.9

-35.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$15.24 SEK 145

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.87 SEK 17.76

-4.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.77 SEK 16.82

88.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$4.17 SEK 39.66

-78.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$55.8 SEK 530

-66.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$8.28 SEK 78.7

-82.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$2.07 SEK 19.64

-35.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$59.4 SEK 564

-86.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.91 SEK 18.16

-35.60%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$32.8K SEK 311.2K

-34.56%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$33.6K SEK 318.8K

-34.98%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$170 SEK 1,614

-58.03%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$31.19 SEK 296

-55.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$27.55 SEK 262

-34.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$40.05 SEK 380

1.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$25.76 SEK 245

-73.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$16.07 SEK 153

-64.41%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$147 SEK 1,393

110.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$4,072 SEK 38.7K

260.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$96.7 SEK 918

-42.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$41.49 SEK 394

-37.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$83.4 SEK 793

1.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$163 SEK 1,544

-56.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$1,276 SEK 12.1K

-66.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$869 SEK 8,260

-72.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$1,761 SEK 16.7K

-54.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$1,391 SEK 13.2K

-63.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$4,631 SEK 44.0K

-58.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$3,247 SEK 30.9K

-54.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$2,582 SEK 24.5K

-76.95%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Skelleftea: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,276 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 334% 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 $69.0 in Skelleftea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 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 145% 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 $3,134 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $147 in Skelleftea. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 57% 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 $2,089. 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 $2,089 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.