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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,582 in Stockholm, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,840 in Stockholm, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,098 in Stockholm, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 67% cheaper than Stockholm, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Stockholm is 93% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.7

$16.09 SEK 155

-87.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿616

$110 SEK 1,062

-83.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿251

$11.68 SEK 113

-35.96%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.7

$5.20 SEK 50.1

-61.15%

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

$0.85 ฿28.45

$3.28 SEK 31.64

-74.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.94

$2.47 SEK 23.78

-85.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$8.51 SEK 82.0

-74.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$8.31 SEK 80.1

-56.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$1.80 SEK 17.33

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.6

$3.41 SEK 32.84

-53.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.95

$4.07 SEK 39.19

-70.76%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.0

$4.70 SEK 45.33

-58.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$12.77 SEK 123

26.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿100

$13.23 SEK 127

-77.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿367

$19.40 SEK 187

-43.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.0

$3.60 SEK 34.66

-24.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$2.90 SEK 27.93

-59.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$3.38 SEK 32.54

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$4.59 SEK 44.21

-65.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.45

$1.96 SEK 18.92

-29.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.38

$1.89 SEK 18.17

-36.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.46

$2.52 SEK 24.24

-73.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.70

$1.61 SEK 15.55

-65.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$8.06 SEK 77.7

-42.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿591

$12.53 SEK 121

40.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

$2.19 SEK 21.08

-15.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.36 SEK 22.76

39.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

$4.55 SEK 43.89

-80.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

$112 SEK 1,080

-82.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.82

$6.40 SEK 61.7

-78.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

$1.66 SEK 15.95

-19.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$63.3 SEK 610

-87.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.11

$1.86 SEK 17.92

-34.41%

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

$21.4K ฿716.8K

$33.0K SEK 318.3K

-35.36%

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

$22.5K ฿756.3K

$34.5K SEK 332.9K

-34.78%

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

$70.7 ฿2,372

$227 SEK 2,189

-68.89%

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

$14.04 ฿471

$29.59 SEK 285

-52.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿587

$42.03 SEK 405

-58.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,415

$46.01 SEK 443

-8.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$38.09 SEK 367

-81.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$17.78 SEK 171

-66.70%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$164 SEK 1,582

87.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿499.5K

$6,573 SEK 63.3K

126.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,872

$97.6 SEK 941

-42.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿877

$49.76 SEK 480

-47.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,787

$120 SEK 1,159

-31.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,365

$202 SEK 1,945

-65.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$1,566 SEK 15.1K

-72.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,020

$1,086 SEK 10.5K

-78.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.6K

$2,754 SEK 26.5K

-70.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$1,801 SEK 17.4K

-71.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

$11.8K SEK 113.3K

-83.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$6,496 SEK 62.6K

-77.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

$3,643 SEK 35.1K

-84.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

20.19%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Stockholm: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $1,566 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 529% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $110 in Stockholm. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $401 – 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 200% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,873 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $164 in Stockholm. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 65% 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 $861, than in Stockholm at $2,582. 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 $861 versus $2,582 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.