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 $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,885 in Staffanstorp, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,929 in Staffanstorp, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,973 in Staffanstorp, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 55% cheaper than Staffanstorp, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Staffanstorp is 41% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$13.51 SEK 124

-85.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$84.6 SEK 778

-78.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$10.45 SEK 96.1

-28.23%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$5.19 SEK 47.73

-62.81%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$2.71 SEK 24.94

-71.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$2.17 SEK 19.96

-85.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$7.51 SEK 69.1

-71.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$7.94 SEK 73.0

-53.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.76 SEK 16.18

-2.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$2.86 SEK 26.33

-45.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$3.31 SEK 30.44

-64.35%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$4.33 SEK 39.84

-54.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$11.80 SEK 109

35.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$12.22 SEK 112

-74.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$26.85 SEK 247

-59.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$3.03 SEK 27.83

-13.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$2.76 SEK 25.39

-57.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$2.94 SEK 27.05

-43.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$4.32 SEK 39.73

-64.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$1.74 SEK 15.97

-20.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$1.93 SEK 17.77

-39.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$2.27 SEK 20.87

-70.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$1.55 SEK 14.29

-67.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$8.06 SEK 74.1

-43.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$12.62 SEK 116

45.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$2.17 SEK 20.01

-17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$2.50 SEK 22.97

27.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$3.28 SEK 30.16

-72.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$73.3 SEK 675

-74.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$6.67 SEK 61.4

-78.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$1.66 SEK 15.31

-21.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$56.5 SEK 520

-85.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.86 SEK 17.14

-31.18%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$32.3K SEK 296.9K

-34.01%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$33.7K SEK 310.2K

-35.64%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$137 SEK 1,257

-49.35%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$24.94 SEK 229

-43.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$39.43 SEK 363

-54.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$40.68 SEK 374

4.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$25.05 SEK 231

-73.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$18.12 SEK 167

-67.33%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$156 SEK 1,435

91.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$4,062 SEK 37.4K

265.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$90.0 SEK 828

-37.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$40.33 SEK 371

-33.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$123 SEK 1,132

-31.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$162 SEK 1,494

-55.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$851 SEK 7,832

-48.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$654 SEK 6,015

-63.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$1,420 SEK 13.1K

-43.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$1,103 SEK 10.1K

-54.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$4,131 SEK 38.0K

-51.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$2,884 SEK 26.5K

-46.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$3,102 SEK 28.5K

-79.75%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Staffanstorp: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $851 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 394% 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $85 in Staffanstorp. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 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 123% 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,827 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $156 in Staffanstorp. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 63% 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 $845, 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 $845 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.