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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,895 in Tumba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,871 in Tumba, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,847 in Tumba, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Tumba is 41% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿65.0

$14.95 SEK 142

-86.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿619

$67.3 SEK 638

-72.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿255

$10.60 SEK 101

-26.89%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿63.2

$4.65 SEK 44.10

-58.71%

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

$0.79 ฿26.07

$2.70 SEK 25.57

-70.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.74

$2.52 SEK 23.85

-85.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.9

$7.16 SEK 67.9

-69.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$7.52 SEK 71.3

-51.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.4

$1.72 SEK 16.26

-4.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.7

$3.11 SEK 29.47

-47.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.28

$4.02 SEK 38.11

-70.40%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.8

$3.99 SEK 37.84

-49.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿526

$12.81 SEK 121

24.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$13.16 SEK 125

-76.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿357

$15.63 SEK 148

-30.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.9

$3.62 SEK 34.28

-23.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.83

$2.57 SEK 24.41

-54.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.0

$1.57 SEK 14.88

4.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.0

$4.65 SEK 44.07

-67.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.59

$1.56 SEK 14.79

-11.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.25

$1.87 SEK 17.71

-36.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.11

$2.62 SEK 24.84

-73.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.61 SEK 15.27

-65.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿151

$7.37 SEK 69.9

-37.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿545

$10.74 SEK 102

54.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.2

$1.76 SEK 16.73

3.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$1.91 SEK 18.14

67.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.87

$4.41 SEK 41.86

-80.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿616

$106 SEK 1,004

-82.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$6.13 SEK 58.1

-77.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.12

$1.22 SEK 11.58

9.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿258

$20.80 SEK 197

-62.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.35

$1.99 SEK 18.90

-38.19%

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

$21.6K ฿711.8K

$32.2K SEK 305.1K

-32.79%

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

$22.5K ฿742.2K

$34.2K SEK 324.3K

-34.09%

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

$70.5 ฿2,322

$90.3 SEK 856

-21.91%

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

$13.68 ฿450

$28.17 SEK 267

-51.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿574

$41.83 SEK 397

-58.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,361

$43.37 SEK 411

-4.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

$25.71 SEK 244

-72.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿190

$16.14 SEK 153

-64.25%

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

$307 ฿10.1K

$143 SEK 1,355

114.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿481.0K

$4,072 SEK 38.6K

258.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,837

$103 SEK 978

-45.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿863

$44.27 SEK 420

-40.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,823

$117 SEK 1,111

-26.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,378

$157 SEK 1,489

-54.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.1K

$842 SEK 7,980

-48.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,857

$652 SEK 6,184

-63.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

$1,405 SEK 13.3K

-41.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

$1,102 SEK 10.5K

-53.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.3K

$4,847 SEK 46.0K

-59.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.9K

$3,251 SEK 30.8K

-54.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Tumba: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $842 in Tumba. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $67.0 in Tumba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $367 – 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 Tumba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tumba costs about 118% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,842 in Tumba. 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $143 in Tumba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% more in Tumba, 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 $869, than in Tumba at $1,895. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tumba it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,895 in Tumba. 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, Tumba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.