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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,885 in Staffanstorp, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,907 in Staffanstorp, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,929 in Staffanstorp, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 54% cheaper than Staffanstorp, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Staffanstorp is 40% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿65.0

$13.56 SEK 129

-85.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿619

$85.3 SEK 808

-77.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿255

$10.43 SEK 98.9

-25.70%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿63.2

$4.94 SEK 46.83

-61.13%

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

$0.79 ฿26.07

$2.70 SEK 25.58

-70.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.74

$2.11 SEK 20.03

-82.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.9

$7.31 SEK 69.3

-69.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$7.70 SEK 73.1

-52.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.4

$1.73 SEK 16.43

-4.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.7

$2.87 SEK 27.21

-43.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.28

$3.36 SEK 31.90

-64.58%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.8

$4.46 SEK 42.31

-55.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿526

$11.60 SEK 110

37.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$12.56 SEK 119

-75.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿357

$26.44 SEK 251

-58.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.9

$3.18 SEK 30.16

-13.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.83

$2.75 SEK 26.11

-57.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.0

$2.92 SEK 27.64

-43.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.0

$4.34 SEK 41.16

-64.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.59

$1.75 SEK 16.60

-21.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.25

$1.87 SEK 17.72

-36.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.11

$2.23 SEK 21.16

-68.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.56 SEK 14.81

-64.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿151

$7.82 SEK 74.1

-41.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿545

$12.31 SEK 117

34.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.2

$2.19 SEK 20.78

-16.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$2.51 SEK 23.84

27.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.87

$3.36 SEK 31.85

-73.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿616

$72.4 SEK 686

-74.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$6.72 SEK 63.7

-79.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.12

$1.59 SEK 15.04

-15.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿258

$56.9 SEK 539

-86.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.35

$1.94 SEK 18.37

-36.60%

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

$21.6K ฿711.8K

$32.8K SEK 310.8K

-34.02%

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

$22.5K ฿742.2K

$34.6K SEK 327.6K

-34.74%

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

$70.5 ฿2,322

$137 SEK 1,303

-48.67%

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

$13.68 ฿450

$25.59 SEK 243

-46.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿574

$39.09 SEK 371

-55.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,361

$40.02 SEK 379

3.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

$24.82 SEK 235

-71.96%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿190

$18.16 SEK 172

-68.23%

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

$307 ฿10.1K

$161 SEK 1,525

90.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿481.0K

$4,182 SEK 39.7K

249.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,837

$88.1 SEK 836

-36.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿863

$39.85 SEK 378

-34.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,823

$124 SEK 1,180

-31.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,378

$164 SEK 1,552

-55.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.1K

$850 SEK 8,060

-49.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,857

$657 SEK 6,229

-63.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

$1,411 SEK 13.4K

-42.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

$1,083 SEK 10.3K

-52.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.3K

$4,094 SEK 38.8K

-51.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.9K

$2,669 SEK 25.3K

-44.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

$3,066 SEK 29.1K

-79.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

15.47%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Staffanstorp: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $850 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 395% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $85.0 in Staffanstorp. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $397 – 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 117% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,828 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $161 in Staffanstorp. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 65% 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 $869, than in Staffanstorp at $1,885. 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 $869 versus $1,885 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.