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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,803 in Varnamo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,833 in Varnamo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,863 in Varnamo, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 53% cheaper than Varnamo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Varnamo is 35% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$12.77 SEK 121

-84.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$88.7 SEK 843

-78.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$11.98 SEK 114

-34.39%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$4.93 SEK 46.85

-58.82%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$2.87 SEK 27.24

-72.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$2.13 SEK 20.21

-83.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$8.03 SEK 76.3

-73.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$7.58 SEK 72.0

-51.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.60 SEK 15.25

8.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$2.16 SEK 20.55

-27.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$3.06 SEK 29.04

-60.78%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$4.62 SEK 43.84

-57.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$12.84 SEK 122

26.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$11.69 SEK 111

-73.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$17.16 SEK 163

-37.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.21 SEK 30.47

-13.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.87 SEK 27.22

-59.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.89 SEK 27.45

-40.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$4.45 SEK 42.23

-64.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.74 SEK 16.49

-20.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.59 SEK 15.06

-27.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$2.55 SEK 24.27

-74.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.24 SEK 11.82

-58.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$7.84 SEK 74.5

-40.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$11.27 SEK 107

57.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.03 SEK 19.29

-11.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.23 SEK 21.21

49.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$3.30 SEK 31.39

-72.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$73.4 SEK 697

-74.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$5.53 SEK 52.5

-74.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$2.53 SEK 24.08

-47.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$63.9 SEK 607

-87.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.97 SEK 18.69

-37.56%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$32.3K SEK 306.9K

-33.64%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$34.2K SEK 325.1K

-36.23%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$119 SEK 1,132

-40.15%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$29.16 SEK 277

-51.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$40.96 SEK 389

-56.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$41.18 SEK 391

-0.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$25.42 SEK 242

-72.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$18.14 SEK 172

-68.47%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$176 SEK 1,674

75.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$4,148 SEK 39.4K

253.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$81.4 SEK 774

-31.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$60.8 SEK 577

-57.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$104 SEK 991

-18.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$128 SEK 1,217

-44.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$852 SEK 8,094

-50.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$665 SEK 6,320

-63.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$1,387 SEK 13.2K

-42.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$1,098 SEK 10.4K

-53.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$4,181 SEK 39.7K

-54.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$2,906 SEK 27.6K

-49.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$2,092 SEK 19.9K

-71.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

4.17%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Varnamo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $852 in Varnamo. 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 252% higher in Varnamo, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $89.0 in Varnamo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $355 – 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 Varnamo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Varnamo costs about 111% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,704 in Varnamo. 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $176 in Varnamo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% more in Varnamo, 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 $852, than in Varnamo at $1,803. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varnamo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,803 in Varnamo. 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, Varnamo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.