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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,876 in Taby, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,903 in Taby, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,930 in Taby, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 54% cheaper than Taby, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Taby is 40% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$13.04 SEK 126

-84.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$68.7 SEK 665

-73.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$10.52 SEK 102

-28.90%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$4.70 SEK 45.46

-57.02%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$3.28 SEK 31.76

-74.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$2.55 SEK 24.65

-85.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$7.19 SEK 69.6

-70.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$8.60 SEK 83.3

-58.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.72 SEK 16.61

-4.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$3.23 SEK 31.26

-51.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$4.05 SEK 39.24

-70.62%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$4.73 SEK 45.79

-58.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$13.00 SEK 126

24.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$11.85 SEK 115

-74.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$19.55 SEK 189

-44.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.59 SEK 34.79

-24.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$2.58 SEK 24.95

-54.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.56 SEK 15.09

8.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$4.55 SEK 44.09

-64.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.91 SEK 18.54

-27.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.85 SEK 17.94

-35.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$2.63 SEK 25.50

-74.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$1.61 SEK 15.59

-65.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$7.49 SEK 72.5

-38.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$12.47 SEK 121

41.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.71 SEK 16.60

8.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.38 SEK 23.03

38.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$4.15 SEK 40.20

-78.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$104 SEK 1,010

-81.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$6.27 SEK 60.7

-78.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$1.22 SEK 11.85

9.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$21.47 SEK 208

-61.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.93 SEK 18.65

-36.79%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$32.9K SEK 318.2K

-35.03%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$33.8K SEK 327.0K

-33.29%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$91.4 SEK 885

-22.69%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$29.59 SEK 286

-52.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$37.81 SEK 366

-53.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$47.86 SEK 463

-11.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$25.81 SEK 250

-73.34%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$18.17 SEK 176

-67.42%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$165 SEK 1,597

87.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$4,166 SEK 40.3K

257.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$106 SEK 1,031

-47.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$43.23 SEK 419

-39.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$118 SEK 1,140

-29.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$158 SEK 1,528

-55.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$846 SEK 8,190

-48.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$644 SEK 6,236

-62.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$1,415 SEK 13.7K

-41.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$1,070 SEK 10.4K

-52.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$6,100 SEK 59.1K

-68.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$7,212 SEK 69.8K

-79.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$3,431 SEK 33.2K

-83.12%

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 Taby: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $846 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 492% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $69.0 in Taby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 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 118% 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 $2,814 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 $309 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 57% 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 $861, than in Taby at $1,876. 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 $861 versus $1,876 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.