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 $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,870 in Tumba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,926 in Tumba, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,982 in Tumba, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 55% cheaper than Tumba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Tumba is 40% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.4

$14.82 SEK 144

-86.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿630

$67.9 SEK 659

-72.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿264

$10.64 SEK 103

-26.32%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿64.9

$4.50 SEK 43.74

-57.11%

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

$0.83 ฿28.00

$2.68 SEK 26.00

-69.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.80

$2.47 SEK 23.98

-85.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.8

$7.31 SEK 71.0

-69.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$7.45 SEK 72.3

-49.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$1.71 SEK 16.61

-3.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.3

$3.08 SEK 29.91

-49.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.79

$3.94 SEK 38.28

-70.05%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿67.9

$3.88 SEK 37.70

-48.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿544

$12.93 SEK 126

24.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$13.08 SEK 127

-76.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿365

$15.40 SEK 150

-29.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.3

$3.59 SEK 34.91

-25.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.14

$2.70 SEK 26.23

-54.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.8

$1.59 SEK 15.45

2.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.5

$4.56 SEK 44.30

-66.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.10

$1.57 SEK 15.24

-14.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.86

$1.82 SEK 17.64

-33.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.63

$2.50 SEK 24.29

-72.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.70

$1.63 SEK 15.85

-67.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$7.29 SEK 70.8

-35.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿597

$10.48 SEK 102

68.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.2

$1.72 SEK 16.75

7.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$1.98 SEK 19.20

62.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.01

$4.55 SEK 44.23

-80.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿632

$106 SEK 1,031

-82.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.40

$6.14 SEK 59.6

-77.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.52

$1.24 SEK 12.02

4.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿262

$20.83 SEK 202

-62.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.59

$1.99 SEK 19.37

-35.18%

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

$21.8K ฿733.4K

$32.5K SEK 315.7K

-33.04%

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

$21.7K ฿730.7K

$34.9K SEK 338.9K

-37.84%

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

$70.0 ฿2,358

$113 SEK 1,096

-38.01%

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

$14.19 ฿478

$28.97 SEK 281

-51.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿587

$42.53 SEK 413

-59.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,403

$43.28 SEK 420

-3.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿232

$25.13 SEK 244

-72.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$16.38 SEK 159

-64.71%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$143 SEK 1,387

109.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿489.2K

$4,215 SEK 40.9K

244.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,865

$106 SEK 1,031

-47.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿886

$43.52 SEK 423

-39.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,858

$116 SEK 1,126

-26.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,375

$155 SEK 1,504

-54.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.3K

$855 SEK 8,306

-50.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,919

$667 SEK 6,477

-64.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.0K

$1,372 SEK 13.3K

-41.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$1,093 SEK 10.6K

-52.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿64.9K

$4,528 SEK 44.0K

-57.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.9K

$2,876 SEK 27.9K

-49.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Tumba: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Chiang Mai versus $855 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 $68.0 in Tumba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $364 – 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 121% 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 $2,804 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 $300 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 50% 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 $847, than in Tumba at $1,870. 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 $847 versus $1,870 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.