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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,807 in Sundsvall, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,745 in Sundsvall, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,684 in Sundsvall, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 48% cheaper than Sundsvall, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$15.45 SEK 147

-86.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$82.3 SEK 784

-76.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$11.47 SEK 109

-50.74%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$4.86 SEK 46.38

-62.76%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$2.51 SEK 23.94

-71.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$1.98 SEK 18.85

-83.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$8.83 SEK 84.2

-74.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.85 SEK 74.8

-53.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.56 SEK 14.86

25.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$3.07 SEK 29.31

-51.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$3.69 SEK 35.19

-63.69%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$3.52 SEK 33.61

-35.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$10.03 SEK 95.7

62.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$10.12 SEK 96.5

-70.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$18.16 SEK 173

-45.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$2.75 SEK 26.19

-6.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$2.42 SEK 23.11

-56.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$2.61 SEK 24.90

-38.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$4.13 SEK 39.35

-63.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$1.53 SEK 14.58

-16.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$1.41 SEK 13.44

-24.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$1.84 SEK 17.57

-60.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.98 SEK 9.30

-47.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$7.78 SEK 74.1

-46.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$9.49 SEK 90.5

88.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.74 SEK 16.59

-2.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$1.43 SEK 13.62

98.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

$3.51 SEK 33.45

-73.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

$90.7 SEK 865

-40.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$6.21 SEK 59.2

-80.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$6.41 SEK 61.1

-90.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$1.85 SEK 17.60

-23.78%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$32.2K SEK 307.0K

-33.41%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$32.5K SEK 309.4K

-15.78%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$102 SEK 976

-37.77%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$29.85 SEK 285

-56.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$31.63 SEK 302

-36.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$41.82 SEK 399

-7.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$12.69 SEK 121

-68.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$14.33 SEK 137

-52.97%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$145 SEK 1,384

435.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$91.8 SEK 876

-40.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$29.13 SEK 278

-12.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$78.6 SEK 749

20.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$138 SEK 1,320

-46.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$701 SEK 6,682

-30.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

$631 SEK 6,020

-54.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$1,230 SEK 11.7K

-27.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$926 SEK 8,833

-44.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$2,516 SEK 24.0K

-22.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

$1,357 SEK 12.9K

8.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$3,141 SEK 29.9K

-80.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.88

43.56%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Sundsvall: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $701 in Sundsvall. 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 422% higher in Sundsvall, 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 $82.0 in Sundsvall. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $327 – 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 Sundsvall: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sundsvall costs about 91% 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 $2,710 in Sundsvall. 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 $145 in Sundsvall. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Sundsvall, 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 Sundsvall at $1,807. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sundsvall it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,807 in Sundsvall. 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, Sundsvall makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.