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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,799 in Staffanstorp, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,797 in Staffanstorp, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,795 in Staffanstorp, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Staffanstorp is 30% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$13.57 SEK 132

-84.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$79.0 SEK 766

-74.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$12.45 SEK 121

-53.49%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$4.97 SEK 48.19

-63.18%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$2.98 SEK 28.91

-73.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$2.35 SEK 22.82

-86.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$7.01 SEK 68.0

-66.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$7.61 SEK 73.8

-51.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.79 SEK 17.34

13.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$2.80 SEK 27.16

-42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$3.15 SEK 30.49

-54.92%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$4.10 SEK 39.70

-46.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$12.21 SEK 118

30.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$12.10 SEK 117

-74.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$17.67 SEK 171

-44.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$3.12 SEK 30.24

-15.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$2.56 SEK 24.84

-57.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$3.08 SEK 29.87

-47.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$4.40 SEK 42.65

-65.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.83 SEK 17.73

-32.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.59 SEK 15.40

-28.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$2.06 SEK 19.96

-64.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$1.29 SEK 12.46

-61.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$7.89 SEK 76.5

-45.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$11.83 SEK 115

51.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$2.06 SEK 19.97

-17.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.28 SEK 22.13

27.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$3.49 SEK 33.87

-73.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$81.3 SEK 788

-32.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$6.27 SEK 60.8

-80.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.79 SEK 17.34

-70.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$51.6 SEK 501

-95.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.86 SEK 18.03

-22.58%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$34.4K SEK 333.4K

-38.38%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$34.2K SEK 331.7K

-20.19%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$109 SEK 1,059

-40.57%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$19.90 SEK 193

-32.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$35.55 SEK 345

-41.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$38.28 SEK 371

5.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$27.59 SEK 267

-85.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$18.22 SEK 177

-63.17%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$180 SEK 1,748

336.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$3,573 SEK 34.6K

323.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$91.8 SEK 890

-38.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$33.68 SEK 326

-25.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$96.7 SEK 937

-4.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$136 SEK 1,322

-44.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$749 SEK 7,256

-35.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$678 SEK 6,570

-57.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$1,454 SEK 14.1K

-37.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$1,068 SEK 10.3K

-50.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$3,589 SEK 34.8K

-44.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$2,571 SEK 24.9K

-43.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$2,978 SEK 28.9K

-79.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.02

84.44%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Staffanstorp: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $749 in Staffanstorp. 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 392% higher in Staffanstorp, 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 $79.0 in Staffanstorp. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $361 – 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 Staffanstorp: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Staffanstorp 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,699 in Staffanstorp. 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 $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $180 in Staffanstorp. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% more in Staffanstorp, 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 $950, than in Staffanstorp at $1,799. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Staffanstorp it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,799 in Staffanstorp. 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, Staffanstorp makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.