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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,732 in Stockholm, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,130 in Stockholm, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,527 in Stockholm, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 65% cheaper than Stockholm, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Stockholm is 99% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$18.42 SEK 177

-88.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿651

$103 SEK 988

-80.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿188

$11.43 SEK 110

-50.57%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.9

$5.35 SEK 51.5

-66.17%

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

$0.71 ฿23.66

$3.89 SEK 37.43

-81.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.48

$3.20 SEK 30.85

-90.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿74.2

$8.46 SEK 81.5

-73.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

$9.19 SEK 88.5

-60.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿65.0

$1.74 SEK 16.80

12.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.83

$4.17 SEK 40.14

-64.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.32

$4.09 SEK 39.39

-67.24%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$5.19 SEK 49.96

-56.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿539

$13.23 SEK 127

22.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.0

$13.55 SEK 131

-78.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿330

$22.30 SEK 215

-55.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿85.3

$3.55 SEK 34.19

-27.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.04

$2.97 SEK 28.63

-64.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.5

$3.17 SEK 30.57

-49.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.4

$4.70 SEK 45.23

-67.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿42.14

$1.87 SEK 17.97

-32.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.37

$1.80 SEK 17.37

-40.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.89

$2.49 SEK 23.95

-71.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.87

$2.49 SEK 23.95

-79.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿139

$9.10 SEK 87.7

-53.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿593

$12.67 SEK 122

41.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿56.2

$2.14 SEK 20.66

-21.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿94.1

$2.56 SEK 24.64

10.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.70

$4.61 SEK 44.44

-79.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

$113 SEK 1,085

-52.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.95

$6.20 SEK 59.7

-80.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.13

$1.53 SEK 14.74

-62.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿80.4

$59.2 SEK 570

-95.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.84

$1.82 SEK 17.55

-22.53%

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

$21.4K ฿711.3K

$34.5K SEK 332.1K

-37.81%

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

$27.3K ฿906.7K

$35.1K SEK 338.3K

-22.19%

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

$63.7 ฿2,112

$281 SEK 2,709

-77.36%

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

$12.85 ฿426

$22.69 SEK 218

-43.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿671

$40.70 SEK 392

-50.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,285

$48.06 SEK 463

-19.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

$41.41 SEK 399

-90.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿223

$19.78 SEK 191

-65.93%

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

$778 ฿25.8K

$172 SEK 1,658

351.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿484.6K

$16.8K SEK 162.2K

-13.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,801

$120 SEK 1,157

-54.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿844

$57.8 SEK 557

-55.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,129

$142 SEK 1,365

-33.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,436

$203 SEK 1,952

-63.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.2K

$1,787 SEK 17.2K

-72.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,596

$1,096 SEK 10.6K

-73.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.6K

$3,323 SEK 32.0K

-73.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.1K

$1,859 SEK 17.9K

-72.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.9K

$11.7K SEK 113.0K

-83.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.0K

$6,611 SEK 63.7K

-77.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$3,662 SEK 35.3K

-83.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.31

68.28%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Stockholm: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $1,787 in Stockholm. 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 508% higher in Stockholm, 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 $103 in Stockholm. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $433 – 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 Stockholm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stockholm costs about 188% 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,098 in Stockholm. 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 $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $172 in Stockholm. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 80% more in Stockholm, 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 $947, than in Stockholm at $2,732. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stockholm it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $2,732 in Stockholm. 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, Stockholm makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.