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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,789 in Stenungsund, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,786 in Stenungsund, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,784 in Stenungsund, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.4

$13.16 SEK 128

-84.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿630

$67.9 SEK 659

-72.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿264

$9.33 SEK 90.6

-15.97%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿64.9

$4.52 SEK 43.88

-57.30%

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

$0.83 ฿28.00

$1.60 SEK 15.58

-48.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.80

$2.47 SEK 23.98

-85.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.8

$7.26 SEK 70.5

-69.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$7.17 SEK 69.6

-47.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$1.50 SEK 14.59

10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.3

$3.17 SEK 30.80

-51.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.79

$3.93 SEK 38.14

-69.97%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿67.9

$4.02 SEK 39.04

-50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿544

$14.03 SEK 136

15.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$11.92 SEK 116

-74.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿365

$15.56 SEK 151

-30.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.3

$3.54 SEK 34.42

-24.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.14

$2.71 SEK 26.36

-54.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.8

$1.56 SEK 15.14

4.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.5

$5.88 SEK 57.1

-73.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.10

$1.55 SEK 15.09

-13.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.86

$2.09 SEK 20.29

-42.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.63

$2.66 SEK 25.84

-73.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.70

$1.75 SEK 17.04

-69.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$7.53 SEK 73.1

-37.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿597

$8.21 SEK 79.7

115.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.2

$1.73 SEK 16.83

6.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$1.91 SEK 18.53

68.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.01

$2.62 SEK 25.46

-66.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿632

$73.8 SEK 716

-74.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.40

$5.75 SEK 55.9

-75.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.52

$1.61 SEK 15.61

-19.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿262

$21.44 SEK 208

-63.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.59

$1.98 SEK 19.24

-34.85%

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

$21.8K ฿733.4K

$32.9K SEK 319.9K

-33.91%

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

$21.7K ฿730.7K

$33.9K SEK 329.2K

-36.01%

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

$70.0 ฿2,358

$91.1 SEK 885

-23.21%

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

$14.19 ฿478

$27.93 SEK 271

-49.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿587

$36.03 SEK 350

-51.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,403

$41.16 SEK 400

1.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿232

$25.68 SEK 249

-73.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$15.97 SEK 155

-63.81%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$143 SEK 1,389

109.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿489.2K

$749 SEK 7,273

1839.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,865

$106 SEK 1,026

-47.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿886

$44.56 SEK 433

-40.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,858

$114 SEK 1,109

-25.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,375

$158 SEK 1,536

-55.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.3K

$843 SEK 8,184

-49.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,919

$658 SEK 6,389

-64.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.0K

$1,407 SEK 13.7K

-42.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$1,071 SEK 10.4K

-51.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿64.9K

$4,497 SEK 43.7K

-57.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.9K

$3,089 SEK 30.0K

-53.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

$1,977 SEK 19.2K

-70.35%

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 Stenungsund: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Chiang Mai versus $843 in Stenungsund. 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 237% higher in Stenungsund, 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 $68.0 in Stenungsund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $366 – 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 Stenungsund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stenungsund costs about 111% 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 $2,684 in Stenungsund. 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 $143 in Stenungsund. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% more in Stenungsund, 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 Stenungsund at $1,789. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stenungsund it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $1,789 in Stenungsund. 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, Stenungsund makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.