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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,828 in Sollefteå, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,803 in Sollefteå, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,779 in Sollefteå, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 53% cheaper than Sollefteå, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Sollefteå is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.8

$13.34 SEK 126

-85.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿611

$73.0 SEK 691

-74.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$10.57 SEK 100

-26.02%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿64.1

$4.55 SEK 43.07

-57.14%

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

$0.85 ฿27.90

$2.75 SEK 25.99

-69.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.64

$2.37 SEK 22.40

-85.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.9

$7.91 SEK 74.9

-73.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$7.36 SEK 69.6

-49.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.2

$1.62 SEK 15.30

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.4

$2.88 SEK 27.28

-43.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.32

$3.93 SEK 37.18

-70.99%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.4

$4.05 SEK 38.32

-52.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿532

$12.21 SEK 116

32.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$12.00 SEK 114

-74.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿357

$16.98 SEK 161

-35.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.4

$3.16 SEK 29.91

-12.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.70

$2.63 SEK 24.86

-53.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.2

$3.07 SEK 29.00

-47.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.1

$4.31 SEK 40.79

-63.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.91

$1.58 SEK 14.93

-11.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.34

$1.80 SEK 17.01

-35.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.70

$2.61 SEK 24.68

-74.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.30

$1.51 SEK 14.32

-64.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿154

$7.17 SEK 67.8

-34.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿612

$12.14 SEK 115

53.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.0

$1.96 SEK 18.56

-8.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.97 SEK 18.60

63.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.39

$3.34 SEK 31.56

-73.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

$73.0 SEK 690

-73.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.13

$6.19 SEK 58.6

-77.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.31

$1.63 SEK 15.44

-20.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿257

$61.3 SEK 580

-87.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$1.95 SEK 18.41

-34.87%

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

$21.3K ฿698.1K

$32.1K SEK 303.3K

-33.62%

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

$22.2K ฿728.8K

$34.5K SEK 326.3K

-35.59%

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

$69.1 ฿2,266

$114 SEK 1,081

-39.53%

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

$14.08 ฿462

$29.31 SEK 277

-51.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿591

$37.21 SEK 352

-51.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,347

$41.19 SEK 390

-0.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

$25.79 SEK 244

-73.01%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿194

$15.92 SEK 151

-62.81%

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

$299 ฿9,811

$146 SEK 1,380

104.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.6K

$4,134 SEK 39.1K

261.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,795

$94.4 SEK 893

-42.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿878

$40.51 SEK 383

-33.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,788

$96.9 SEK 917

-12.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,316

$149 SEK 1,412

-52.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$842 SEK 7,963

-49.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,787

$649 SEK 6,136

-63.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.3K

$1,384 SEK 13.1K

-42.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$1,081 SEK 10.2K

-52.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.8K

$3,836 SEK 36.3K

-48.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.4K

$3,206 SEK 30.3K

-54.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.3K

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 Sollefteå: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $842 in Sollefteå. 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 Sollefteå. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $365 – 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 Sollefteå: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sollefteå costs about 111% 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 $2,742 in Sollefteå. 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 $146 in Sollefteå. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% more in Sollefteå, 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 Sollefteå at $1,828. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sollefteå it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,828 in Sollefteå. 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, Sollefteå makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.