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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,608 in Trollhattan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,427 in Trollhattan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,246 in Trollhattan, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 42% cheaper than Trollhattan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Trollhattan is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$12.41 SEK 122

-83.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$81.9 SEK 805

-76.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$11.70 SEK 115

-51.54%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$2.48 SEK 24.40

-27.02%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$1.36 SEK 13.39

-43.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$1.31 SEK 12.92

-73.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$7.92 SEK 77.8

-72.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$7.84 SEK 77.0

-51.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.36 SEK 13.41

50.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$2.24 SEK 21.98

-32.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$2.64 SEK 25.96

-46.97%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$3.81 SEK 37.39

-40.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$9.83 SEK 96.5

64.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$9.30 SEK 91.4

-68.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$15.33 SEK 151

-38.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$1.35 SEK 13.22

98.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$2.47 SEK 24.27

-55.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$2.83 SEK 27.78

-42.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$2.34 SEK 22.94

-37.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$1.57 SEK 15.44

-18.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$1.25 SEK 12.26

-15.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$2.06 SEK 20.24

-65.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$1.11 SEK 10.87

-52.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$7.68 SEK 75.5

-44.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$8.40 SEK 82.6

117.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$1.48 SEK 14.56

10.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$1.90 SEK 18.70

52.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$3.66 SEK 35.96

-75.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

$81.0 SEK 795

-33.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$3.48 SEK 34.23

-66.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$1.81 SEK 17.82

-67.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$56.3 SEK 553

-95.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$1.84 SEK 18.12

-21.20%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$34.0K SEK 333.8K

-38.15%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$33.5K SEK 329.0K

-21.09%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$183 SEK 1,800

-65.27%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$22.98 SEK 226

-43.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$36.26 SEK 356

-43.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$34.35 SEK 337

13.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$33.91 SEK 333

-88.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$14.81 SEK 145

-55.57%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$155 SEK 1,525

405.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$5,161 SEK 50.7K

184.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$99.6 SEK 979

-44.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$41.62 SEK 409

-40.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$89.6 SEK 880

5.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$90.9 SEK 893

-18.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$638 SEK 6,272

-23.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$503 SEK 4,940

-42.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$1,031 SEK 10.1K

-13.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$808 SEK 7,937

-35.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$2,974 SEK 29.2K

-33.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

$2,555 SEK 25.1K

-43.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$3,209 SEK 31.5K

-81.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.53

57.79%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Trollhattan: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $638 in Trollhattan. 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 433% higher in Trollhattan, 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 Trollhattan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $285 – 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 Trollhattan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Trollhattan costs about 73% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,412 in Trollhattan. 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $155 in Trollhattan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Trollhattan, 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 $932, than in Trollhattan at $1,608. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Trollhattan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,608 in Trollhattan. 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, Trollhattan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.