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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,865 in Taby, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,902 in Taby, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,939 in Taby, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Taby is 39% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$13.23 SEK 124

-85.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$68.6 SEK 643

-72.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$10.71 SEK 100

-26.98%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$4.53 SEK 42.48

-56.95%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$3.29 SEK 30.84

-74.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$2.54 SEK 23.79

-86.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$7.47 SEK 70.1

-71.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$8.55 SEK 80.2

-56.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.74 SEK 16.31

-1.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$3.08 SEK 28.91

-47.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$4.10 SEK 38.42

-72.20%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$4.71 SEK 44.14

-59.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$12.91 SEK 121

25.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$12.00 SEK 113

-74.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$19.55 SEK 183

-44.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.51 SEK 32.92

-21.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.72 SEK 25.49

-55.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.56 SEK 14.63

3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$4.51 SEK 42.33

-64.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.97 SEK 18.44

-28.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.83 SEK 17.12

-36.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$2.53 SEK 23.69

-73.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.55 SEK 14.54

-65.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$7.20 SEK 67.5

-34.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$12.83 SEK 120

45.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.70 SEK 15.92

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.27 SEK 21.28

42.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$4.01 SEK 37.64

-77.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$104 SEK 978

-81.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$6.16 SEK 57.7

-77.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.19 SEK 11.15

8.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$21.45 SEK 201

-63.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$2.00 SEK 18.74

-36.50%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$32.3K SEK 302.8K

-34.10%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$34.8K SEK 326.8K

-36.26%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$89.1 SEK 835

-22.45%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$28.50 SEK 267

-50.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$38.09 SEK 357

-52.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$47.05 SEK 441

-12.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$25.12 SEK 236

-72.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$17.57 SEK 165

-66.31%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$164 SEK 1,535

82.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$4,112 SEK 38.6K

263.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$106 SEK 994

-48.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$42.87 SEK 402

-37.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$115 SEK 1,078

-26.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$158 SEK 1,478

-55.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$832 SEK 7,804

-48.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$661 SEK 6,204

-64.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,413 SEK 13.3K

-43.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,085 SEK 10.2K

-52.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$6,572 SEK 61.6K

-69.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$7,485 SEK 70.2K

-80.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$3,558 SEK 33.4K

-82.65%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Taby: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $832 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 476% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $69.0 in Taby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $380 – 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 115% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,797 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 $164 in Taby. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% 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 $866, than in Taby at $1,865. 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 $866 versus $1,865 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.