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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $942 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,785 in Solna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,427 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,759 in Solna, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,912 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,733 in Solna, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 47% cheaper than Solna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 30% below the global median, while Solna is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.7

$14.28 SEK 142

-85.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.91 ฿666

$67.7 SEK 673

-70.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.58 ฿187

$11.38 SEK 113

-50.97%

Cappuccino

$1.74 ฿58.1

$4.93 SEK 48.98

-64.71%

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

$0.72 ฿24.08

$2.30 SEK 22.86

-68.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.71

$1.43 SEK 14.16

-77.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 ฿75.3

$7.77 SEK 77.2

-71.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿128

$7.81 SEK 77.5

-51.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.6

$1.49 SEK 14.83

35.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.6

$2.48 SEK 24.58

-36.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.72

$3.63 SEK 36.00

-61.43%

Eggs

$2.15 ฿72.0

$4.12 SEK 40.94

-47.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.63 ฿523

$8.91 SEK 88.5

75.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.6

$12.85 SEK 128

-77.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 ฿318

$22.52 SEK 224

-57.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 ฿87.2

$3.08 SEK 30.63

-15.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 ฿36.19

$1.97 SEK 19.60

-45.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$2.59 SEK 25.75

-38.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.62

$3.13 SEK 31.09

-53.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.72

$1.55 SEK 15.37

-17.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.18

$1.89 SEK 18.76

-41.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ฿24.30

$2.14 SEK 21.23

-65.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.72

$1.00 SEK 9.91

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿143

$7.66 SEK 76.1

-44.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.67 ฿591

$12.26 SEK 122

44.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ฿56.3

$1.40 SEK 13.89

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿93.8

$2.17 SEK 21.53

29.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿28.95

$4.21 SEK 41.85

-79.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.2 ฿1,814

$97.5 SEK 968

-44.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.59

$3.50 SEK 34.78

-65.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿18.03

$2.72 SEK 27.06

-80.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.9

$81.8 SEK 812

-97.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿48.98

$1.82 SEK 18.09

-19.78%

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

$21.0K ฿703.3K

$34.0K SEK 337.4K

-38.15%

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

$26.7K ฿893.4K

$33.4K SEK 331.7K

-20.08%

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

$62.1 ฿2,078

$108 SEK 1,074

-42.60%

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

$12.93 ฿433

$22.82 SEK 227

-43.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.61 ฿690

$39.94 SEK 397

-48.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.21 ฿1,312

$38.76 SEK 385

1.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿126

$23.98 SEK 238

-84.28%

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 ฿218

$14.91 SEK 148

-56.27%

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

$803 ฿26.9K

$150 SEK 1,493

433.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.9K

$5,141 SEK 51.1K

185.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ฿1,870

$105 SEK 1,046

-46.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.51 ฿854

$41.32 SEK 410

-38.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 ฿3,048

$87.3 SEK 867

4.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,453

$138 SEK 1,372

-46.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.2K

$823 SEK 8,175

-41.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,646

$609 SEK 6,044

-52.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 ฿29.6K

$1,364 SEK 13.5K

-35.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 ฿17.5K

$1,054 SEK 10.5K

-50.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,989 ฿66.6K

$6,773 SEK 67.3K

-70.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,440 ฿48.2K

$2,808 SEK 27.9K

-48.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 ฿20.2K

$3,750 SEK 37.2K

-83.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.53

57.79%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 21, 2026

Last update for Solna: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $823 in Solna. 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 522% higher in Solna, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $68.0 in Solna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $347 – 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 Solna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Solna costs about 89% 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 $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,678 in Solna. 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 $803 per month in Chiang Mai and $150 in Solna. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Solna, 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 $942, than in Solna at $1,785. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Solna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $942 versus $1,785 in Solna. 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, Solna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.