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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,924 in Tumba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,018 in Tumba, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,113 in Tumba, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 51% cheaper than Tumba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Tumba is 40% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$14.53 SEK 141

-85.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$68.9 SEK 668

-71.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$10.34 SEK 100

-44.00%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$4.63 SEK 44.87

-60.48%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$2.80 SEK 27.16

-72.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$2.31 SEK 22.35

-86.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$7.32 SEK 71.0

-68.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$7.16 SEK 69.4

-48.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.72 SEK 16.71

18.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$3.25 SEK 31.47

-50.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$3.89 SEK 37.73

-63.50%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$5.04 SEK 48.85

-56.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$13.39 SEK 130

18.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$13.51 SEK 131

-77.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$17.70 SEK 172

-44.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$3.33 SEK 32.26

-21.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$2.76 SEK 26.77

-60.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$2.12 SEK 20.51

-23.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$4.71 SEK 45.69

-67.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.49 SEK 14.47

-16.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.78 SEK 17.30

-36.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$2.29 SEK 22.21

-67.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$1.89 SEK 18.30

-73.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$7.38 SEK 71.5

-42.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$10.53 SEK 102

70.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$2.00 SEK 19.37

-15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.29 SEK 22.20

26.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$4.46 SEK 43.25

-78.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$105 SEK 1,022

-47.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$6.01 SEK 58.2

-79.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.54 SEK 14.96

-65.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$58.3 SEK 565

-95.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.81 SEK 17.51

-20.44%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$34.7K SEK 336.2K

-38.89%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$33.5K SEK 324.4K

-18.41%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$185 SEK 1,793

-64.89%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$21.99 SEK 213

-39.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$49.36 SEK 479

-57.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$42.04 SEK 408

-3.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$28.19 SEK 273

-85.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$16.63 SEK 161

-59.65%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$169 SEK 1,639

365.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$5,210 SEK 50.5K

190.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$117 SEK 1,135

-51.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$54.8 SEK 531

-54.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$98.9 SEK 958

-6.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$202 SEK 1,959

-62.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$717 SEK 6,955

-32.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$636 SEK 6,170

-54.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$1,559 SEK 15.1K

-41.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$963 SEK 9,338

-44.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$3,958 SEK 38.4K

-49.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$2,729 SEK 26.5K

-46.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

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: September 7, 2026

Last update for Tumba: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $717 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $69.0 in Tumba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $387 – 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 102% 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,886 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 $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $169 in Tumba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 60% 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 $950, than in Tumba at $1,924. 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 $950 versus $1,924 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.