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 $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,844 in Tumba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,898 in Tumba, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,953 in Tumba, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Tumba is 38% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$14.96 SEK 138

-86.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$67.4 SEK 620

-72.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$10.48 SEK 96.4

-28.44%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$4.60 SEK 42.31

-58.04%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$2.73 SEK 25.10

-71.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$2.46 SEK 22.63

-86.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$7.58 SEK 69.7

-71.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$7.54 SEK 69.4

-50.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.81 SEK 16.62

-5.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$3.05 SEK 28.08

-48.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$3.90 SEK 35.91

-69.74%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$3.94 SEK 36.27

-49.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$13.00 SEK 120

23.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$13.31 SEK 122

-76.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$15.69 SEK 144

-30.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$3.61 SEK 33.22

-27.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$2.69 SEK 24.72

-56.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$1.56 SEK 14.35

5.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$4.43 SEK 40.80

-65.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$1.51 SEK 13.92

-8.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$1.89 SEK 17.41

-38.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$2.52 SEK 23.18

-73.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$1.62 SEK 14.93

-68.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$7.19 SEK 66.2

-37.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$13.12 SEK 121

39.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$1.71 SEK 15.75

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$1.89 SEK 17.35

68.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$4.32 SEK 39.70

-79.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$109 SEK 998

-82.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$6.29 SEK 57.9

-77.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$1.19 SEK 10.98

10.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$20.85 SEK 192

-61.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$2.01 SEK 18.49

-36.32%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$33.1K SEK 304.6K

-35.69%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$34.6K SEK 317.9K

-37.19%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$90.1 SEK 829

-23.21%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$28.94 SEK 266

-51.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$42.50 SEK 391

-57.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$42.63 SEK 392

-0.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$25.32 SEK 233

-73.70%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$16.43 SEK 151

-63.97%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$144 SEK 1,329

107.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$4,106 SEK 37.8K

261.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$106 SEK 971

-46.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$42.88 SEK 395

-37.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$117 SEK 1,080

-27.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$153 SEK 1,406

-52.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$826 SEK 7,596

-47.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$659 SEK 6,063

-63.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$1,421 SEK 13.1K

-43.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$1,095 SEK 10.1K

-54.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$4,180 SEK 38.5K

-52.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$2,901 SEK 26.7K

-47.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Tumba: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $826 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $67 in Tumba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $372 – 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,766 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $144 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 $845, than in Tumba at $1,844. 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 $845 versus $1,844 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.