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 $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,796 in Sollefteå, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,767 in Sollefteå, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,738 in Sollefteå, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Sollefteå is 34% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.5

$13.67 SEK 133

-85.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿631

$74.4 SEK 722

-74.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿265

$10.42 SEK 101

-24.76%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿65.0

$4.75 SEK 46.05

-59.37%

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

$0.83 ฿28.05

$2.81 SEK 27.23

-70.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.82

$2.47 SEK 23.97

-85.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.9

$7.95 SEK 77.1

-72.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$7.48 SEK 72.6

-49.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.68 SEK 16.28

-1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.4

$2.85 SEK 27.63

-45.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.86

$3.76 SEK 36.47

-68.62%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿68.0

$4.02 SEK 38.94

-50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿545

$11.98 SEK 116

34.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$12.00 SEK 116

-74.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿366

$17.03 SEK 165

-36.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.4

$3.18 SEK 30.84

-15.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.21

$2.59 SEK 25.15

-52.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.9

$3.00 SEK 29.07

-45.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$4.38 SEK 42.50

-65.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.18

$1.63 SEK 15.77

-17.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.93

$1.77 SEK 17.21

-31.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.67

$2.55 SEK 24.71

-72.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.73

$1.56 SEK 15.14

-66.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$7.30 SEK 70.8

-35.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿598

$9.18 SEK 89.0

92.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.3

$1.98 SEK 19.18

-6.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$1.92 SEK 18.60

67.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.07

$3.34 SEK 32.40

-73.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿633

$73.5 SEK 713

-74.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.48

$6.23 SEK 60.4

-77.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.59

$1.58 SEK 15.31

-18.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿263

$62.0 SEK 602

-87.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.67

$1.90 SEK 18.41

-32.11%

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

$21.8K ฿734.7K

$32.1K SEK 311.3K

-32.19%

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

$21.7K ฿732.1K

$34.1K SEK 331.0K

-36.47%

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

$70.0 ฿2,362

$115 SEK 1,120

-39.40%

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

$14.19 ฿479

$29.29 SEK 284

-51.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿588

$37.24 SEK 361

-53.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,405

$39.70 SEK 385

4.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿233

$25.42 SEK 246

-72.90%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$16.06 SEK 156

-64.01%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$145 SEK 1,404

107.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿490.1K

$4,127 SEK 40.0K

251.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,869

$95.2 SEK 923

-41.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿888

$39.93 SEK 387

-34.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,863

$98.3 SEK 953

-13.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,379

$151 SEK 1,464

-53.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.4K

$845 SEK 8,192

-49.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,933

$648 SEK 6,288

-63.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.1K

$1,417 SEK 13.7K

-43.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$1,079 SEK 10.5K

-52.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿65.0K

$4,345 SEK 42.1K

-55.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿49.0K

$2,793 SEK 27.1K

-48.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Sollefteå: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Chiang Mai versus $845 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 $74.0 in Sollefteå. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $358 – 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 112% 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 $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,694 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 $300 per month in Chiang Mai and $145 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 $847, than in Sollefteå at $1,796. 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 $847 versus $1,796 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.