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 $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,840 in Sollefteå, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,893 in Sollefteå, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,946 in Sollefteå, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 49% cheaper than Sollefteå, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Sollefteå is 34% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$14.25 SEK 136

-85.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$80.4 SEK 769

-75.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$10.47 SEK 100

-46.04%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$4.81 SEK 46.03

-62.37%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$2.79 SEK 26.65

-74.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$2.20 SEK 21.07

-85.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$7.17 SEK 68.6

-68.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.43 SEK 71.0

-51.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.75 SEK 16.77

12.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$2.93 SEK 28.04

-48.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$3.78 SEK 36.19

-64.55%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$4.65 SEK 44.46

-51.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$12.45 SEK 119

30.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$12.47 SEK 119

-76.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$18.50 SEK 177

-46.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$3.20 SEK 30.60

-19.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$2.78 SEK 26.57

-61.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$3.08 SEK 29.47

-47.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$4.48 SEK 42.82

-66.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$1.68 SEK 16.10

-24.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$1.74 SEK 16.69

-38.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$2.31 SEK 22.05

-68.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$1.50 SEK 14.30

-66.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$7.71 SEK 73.7

-45.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$10.37 SEK 99.2

72.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$2.02 SEK 19.32

-16.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$2.31 SEK 22.11

22.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$3.52 SEK 33.70

-73.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

$80.3 SEK 768

-32.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$6.14 SEK 58.8

-79.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$1.75 SEK 16.70

-66.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$62.1 SEK 594

-96.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$1.90 SEK 18.16

-25.79%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$34.9K SEK 333.4K

-38.49%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$34.6K SEK 330.8K

-20.98%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$115 SEK 1,099

-44.59%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$27.01 SEK 258

-52.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$40.05 SEK 383

-49.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$39.78 SEK 380

-2.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$27.14 SEK 260

-85.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$16.90 SEK 162

-60.12%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$169 SEK 1,613

361.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$5,370 SEK 51.4K

172.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$92.9 SEK 889

-41.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$44.07 SEK 422

-42.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$98.6 SEK 943

-4.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$147 SEK 1,404

-49.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$848 SEK 8,112

-42.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$610 SEK 5,832

-52.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$1,410 SEK 13.5K

-36.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$1,088 SEK 10.4K

-52.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$4,195 SEK 40.1K

-53.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$2,900 SEK 27.7K

-49.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.42

62.87%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Sollefteå: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $848 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $80.0 in Sollefteå. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $374 – 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 94% 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,760 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 $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $169 in Sollefteå. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% 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 $947, than in Sollefteå at $1,840. 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 $947 versus $1,840 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.