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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $872 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,863 in Taby, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,865 in Taby, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,868 in Taby, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Taby is 38% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.5

$13.27 SEK 122

-84.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$67.3 SEK 618

-72.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$10.39 SEK 95.5

-26.37%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$4.68 SEK 42.99

-58.97%

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

$0.84 ฿26.97

$3.21 SEK 29.52

-73.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$2.54 SEK 23.37

-85.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

$7.54 SEK 69.3

-70.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$8.57 SEK 78.7

-55.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$1.79 SEK 16.42

-8.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.0

$3.16 SEK 29.04

-48.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.98

$4.05 SEK 37.19

-71.60%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.2

$4.58 SEK 42.06

-57.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$12.72 SEK 117

25.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.5

$11.92 SEK 110

-73.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

$19.33 SEK 178

-42.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.8

$3.44 SEK 31.62

-21.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.80

$2.66 SEK 24.48

-55.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.7

$1.60 SEK 14.69

6.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.5

$4.41 SEK 40.55

-63.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.66

$2.01 SEK 18.44

-30.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.81

$1.89 SEK 17.37

-39.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.83

$2.62 SEK 24.08

-72.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.65

$1.56 SEK 14.36

-64.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$7.35 SEK 67.6

-37.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

$14.20 SEK 130

32.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$1.74 SEK 15.97

4.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$2.28 SEK 21.00

40.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.24

$4.19 SEK 38.50

-79.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿606

$101 SEK 929

-81.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.30

$6.13 SEK 56.3

-77.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.71

$1.19 SEK 10.98

9.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$20.72 SEK 190

-60.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.29

$1.90 SEK 17.47

-35.26%

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

$21.2K ฿678.9K

$32.5K SEK 298.7K

-34.86%

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

$22.3K ฿715.3K

$33.7K SEK 309.9K

-33.83%

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

$69.9 ฿2,240

$88.5 SEK 813

-21.03%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$29.52 SEK 271

-52.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$37.76 SEK 347

-53.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,328

$47.13 SEK 433

-12.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿215

$25.77 SEK 237

-74.04%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$17.94 SEK 165

-68.00%

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

$299 ฿9,593

$165 SEK 1,512

81.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿481.2K

$4,101 SEK 37.7K

266.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,758

$107 SEK 983

-48.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿845

$44.58 SEK 410

-40.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,714

$117 SEK 1,073

-27.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,236

$156 SEK 1,430

-55.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$828 SEK 7,613

-48.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,718

$658 SEK 6,051

-63.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

$1,375 SEK 12.6K

-41.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

$1,079 SEK 9,918

-53.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

$4,263 SEK 39.2K

-52.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.9K

$3,009 SEK 27.7K

-49.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

$3,678 SEK 33.8K

-82.62%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Taby: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Chiang Mai versus $828 in Taby. 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 475% higher in Taby, 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 $67 in Taby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $382 – 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 Taby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taby costs about 114% 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 $1,308 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,794 in Taby. 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 $165 in Taby. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 55% more in Taby, 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 $872, than in Taby at $1,863. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taby it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $872 versus $1,863 in Taby. 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, Taby makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.