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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,873 in Varberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,861 in Varberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,850 in Varberg, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$13.52 SEK 124

-85.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$85.8 SEK 789

-78.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$10.16 SEK 93.4

-26.18%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$4.10 SEK 37.70

-52.93%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$0.99 SEK 9.13

-21.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.98 SEK 8.99

-67.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$7.92 SEK 72.9

-72.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$7.89 SEK 72.5

-52.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.49 SEK 13.73

14.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$3.15 SEK 29.02

-50.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$3.51 SEK 32.29

-66.38%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$4.45 SEK 40.90

-55.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$12.13 SEK 112

32.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$11.62 SEK 107

-72.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$21.32 SEK 196

-48.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$3.32 SEK 30.51

-20.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$2.83 SEK 26.00

-58.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$3.43 SEK 31.58

-51.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$4.81 SEK 44.24

-67.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$1.53 SEK 14.11

-9.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$1.94 SEK 17.88

-39.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$2.52 SEK 23.17

-73.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$1.14 SEK 10.46

-55.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$7.21 SEK 66.4

-37.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$10.74 SEK 98.8

70.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$2.08 SEK 19.17

-13.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$1.30 SEK 11.96

144.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$2.93 SEK 26.99

-69.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$74.6 SEK 686

-74.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$5.32 SEK 48.97

-73.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$2.56 SEK 23.55

-48.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$56.0 SEK 515

-85.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.92 SEK 17.65

-33.33%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$32.9K SEK 302.4K

-35.21%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$33.3K SEK 306.8K

-34.91%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$154 SEK 1,419

-55.14%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$21.13 SEK 194

-33.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$32.27 SEK 297

-44.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$41.09 SEK 378

2.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$25.52 SEK 235

-73.90%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$16.57 SEK 152

-64.27%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$156 SEK 1,432

92.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$4,124 SEK 37.9K

260.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$89.5 SEK 824

-37.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$41.66 SEK 383

-35.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$101 SEK 925

-15.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$160 SEK 1,468

-55.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$847 SEK 7,795

-48.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$664 SEK 6,109

-63.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$1,395 SEK 12.8K

-42.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$1,089 SEK 10.0K

-54.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$4,272 SEK 39.3K

-53.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$2,993 SEK 27.5K

-48.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$3,434 SEK 31.6K

-81.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.9

163.16%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Last update for Varberg: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $847 in Varberg. 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 447% higher in Varberg, 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 $86 in Varberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $375 – 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 Varberg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Varberg costs about 122% 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 $2,809 in Varberg. 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 $156 in Varberg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% more in Varberg, 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 Varberg at $1,873. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varberg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $1,873 in Varberg. 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, Varberg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.