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 $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,190 in Taby, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,162 in Taby, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,133 in Taby, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 57% cheaper than Taby, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Taby is 59% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$14.60 SEK 140

-85.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$66.5 SEK 636

-70.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$10.28 SEK 98.3

-45.04%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$4.39 SEK 41.99

-58.77%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$3.54 SEK 33.89

-79.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$2.51 SEK 24.00

-87.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$7.52 SEK 71.9

-70.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$9.47 SEK 90.6

-61.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.71 SEK 16.39

14.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$3.29 SEK 31.43

-54.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$3.98 SEK 38.08

-66.33%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$5.19 SEK 49.64

-56.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$13.18 SEK 126

23.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$13.65 SEK 131

-78.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$18.20 SEK 174

-45.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$3.40 SEK 32.51

-24.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$2.72 SEK 26.02

-61.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$2.03 SEK 19.43

-20.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$4.73 SEK 45.25

-67.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$1.85 SEK 17.66

-31.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$1.80 SEK 17.27

-40.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$2.42 SEK 23.12

-70.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$1.96 SEK 18.76

-73.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$7.49 SEK 71.6

-44.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$12.65 SEK 121

41.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$2.05 SEK 19.57

-17.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$2.30 SEK 21.96

23.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$4.47 SEK 42.73

-79.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

$107 SEK 1,026

-49.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$6.18 SEK 59.1

-80.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$1.54 SEK 14.71

-62.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$57.9 SEK 554

-95.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$1.90 SEK 18.15

-25.79%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$33.8K SEK 322.9K

-36.48%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$33.5K SEK 320.7K

-18.48%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$183 SEK 1,746

-65.12%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$27.00 SEK 258

-52.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$40.92 SEK 391

-50.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$17.44 SEK 167

-61.35%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$173 SEK 1,653

350.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$17.4K SEK 166.1K

-15.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$103 SEK 988

-47.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$55.5 SEK 531

-54.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$98.4 SEK 941

-4.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$197 SEK 1,888

-62.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$1,031 SEK 9,861

-52.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$886 SEK 8,475

-67.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$1,438 SEK 13.8K

-37.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$1,247 SEK 11.9K

-58.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$6,207 SEK 59.4K

-68.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$7,277 SEK 69.6K

-79.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$3,440 SEK 32.9K

-82.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.2

74.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Taby: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $1,031 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 471% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $67.0 in Taby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $397 – 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 131% 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 $3,285 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 $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $173 in Taby. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 65% 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 $947, than in Taby at $2,190. 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 $947 versus $2,190 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.