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 $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,607 in Trollhattan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,556 in Trollhattan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,504 in Trollhattan, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 47% cheaper than Trollhattan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Trollhattan is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.4

$12.30 SEK 119

-83.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿631

$82.5 SEK 801

-77.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿264

$10.57 SEK 103

-25.83%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿65.0

$3.75 SEK 36.37

-48.53%

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

$0.83 ฿28.01

$1.38 SEK 13.41

-39.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.81

$1.34 SEK 13.01

-73.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.8

$7.72 SEK 74.9

-71.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$7.82 SEK 75.8

-51.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.53 SEK 14.84

7.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.3

$2.36 SEK 22.90

-34.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.82

$3.79 SEK 36.81

-68.87%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿67.9

$3.93 SEK 38.09

-48.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿545

$12.01 SEK 117

34.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$9.30 SEK 90.2

-67.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿365

$14.83 SEK 144

-26.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.3

$3.32 SEK 32.24

-19.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.16

$2.56 SEK 24.84

-52.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.8

$3.54 SEK 34.32

-53.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.5

$3.64 SEK 35.27

-57.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.13

$2.09 SEK 20.25

-35.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.88

$2.03 SEK 19.70

-40.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.65

$2.93 SEK 28.44

-76.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.71

$1.86 SEK 18.02

-71.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$8.10 SEK 78.6

-42.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿597

$8.12 SEK 78.8

118.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.2

$1.29 SEK 12.47

43.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$1.67 SEK 16.16

92.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.03

$3.40 SEK 32.96

-73.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿632

$72.7 SEK 705

-74.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.43

$3.78 SEK 36.68

-62.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.54

$2.54 SEK 24.63

-49.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿263

$42.46 SEK 412

-81.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.61

$1.98 SEK 19.17

-34.85%

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

$21.8K ฿733.8K

$33.0K SEK 320.5K

-34.11%

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

$21.7K ฿731.2K

$34.7K SEK 336.9K

-37.55%

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

$70.0 ฿2,359

$187 SEK 1,812

-62.54%

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

$14.19 ฿478

$28.28 SEK 274

-49.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿587

$31.68 SEK 307

-45.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,404

$40.73 SEK 395

2.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿232

$25.12 SEK 244

-72.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$14.59 SEK 142

-60.38%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$156 SEK 1,515

91.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿489.5K

$1,394 SEK 13.5K

941.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,866

$83.8 SEK 813

-33.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿887

$31.33 SEK 304

-16.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,860

$83.2 SEK 807

2.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,376

$122 SEK 1,187

-42.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.3K

$622 SEK 6,039

-31.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,924

$470 SEK 4,557

-49.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.0K

$1,129 SEK 11.0K

-28.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$820 SEK 7,959

-37.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿64.9K

$2,973 SEK 28.8K

-35.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.9K

$2,602 SEK 25.2K

-44.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

$3,317 SEK 32.2K

-82.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

19.05%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Last update for Trollhattan: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Chiang Mai versus $622 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 466% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $83.0 in Trollhattan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $331 – 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 90% 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 $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,411 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 $300 per month in Chiang Mai and $156 in Trollhattan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% 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 $847, than in Trollhattan at $1,607. 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 $847 versus $1,607 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.