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 $872 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,607 in Trollhattan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,529 in Trollhattan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,451 in Trollhattan, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 46% cheaper than Trollhattan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Trollhattan is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.5

$12.03 SEK 111

-83.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$80.4 SEK 739

-77.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$10.32 SEK 94.9

-25.87%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$3.67 SEK 33.74

-47.68%

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

$0.84 ฿26.97

$1.35 SEK 12.43

-37.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$1.34 SEK 12.28

-73.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

$7.52 SEK 69.1

-70.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$8.06 SEK 74.1

-52.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$1.52 SEK 14.01

7.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.0

$2.28 SEK 20.91

-28.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.98

$3.75 SEK 34.46

-69.33%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.2

$3.90 SEK 35.86

-50.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$11.90 SEK 109

33.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.5

$9.40 SEK 86.4

-67.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

$15.02 SEK 138

-26.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.8

$3.19 SEK 29.35

-15.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.80

$2.56 SEK 23.50

-53.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.7

$3.60 SEK 33.08

-52.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.5

$3.76 SEK 34.56

-57.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.66

$2.11 SEK 19.43

-34.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.81

$2.02 SEK 18.52

-43.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.83

$2.85 SEK 26.16

-75.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.65

$1.83 SEK 16.85

-69.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$7.87 SEK 72.4

-41.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

$10.67 SEK 98.1

76.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$1.26 SEK 11.56

44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$1.71 SEK 15.67

87.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.24

$3.39 SEK 31.16

-74.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿606

$73.7 SEK 677

-74.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.30

$3.60 SEK 33.11

-60.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.71

$2.58 SEK 23.71

-49.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$42.49 SEK 390

-80.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.29

$1.96 SEK 18.01

-37.24%

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

$21.2K ฿678.9K

$33.2K SEK 305.0K

-36.20%

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

$22.3K ฿715.3K

$33.7K SEK 310.1K

-33.89%

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

$69.9 ฿2,240

$188 SEK 1,727

-62.83%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$28.33 SEK 260

-50.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$31.12 SEK 286

-43.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,328

$40.37 SEK 371

2.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿215

$25.06 SEK 230

-73.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$14.66 SEK 135

-60.85%

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

$299 ฿9,593

$155 SEK 1,429

92.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿481.2K

$1,413 SEK 13.0K

961.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,758

$85.0 SEK 782

-35.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿845

$31.19 SEK 287

-15.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,714

$85.1 SEK 782

-0.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,236

$125 SEK 1,152

-44.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$624 SEK 5,732

-31.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,718

$468 SEK 4,298

-48.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

$1,116 SEK 10.3K

-27.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

$828 SEK 7,606

-39.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

$2,705 SEK 24.9K

-25.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.9K

$2,335 SEK 21.5K

-34.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

$3,521 SEK 32.4K

-81.85%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Trollhattan: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Chiang Mai versus $624 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 451% 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $80 in Trollhattan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $336 – 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 84% 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 $1,308 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 $299 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 36% 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 $872, 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 $872 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.