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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,788 in Varnamo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,849 in Varnamo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,910 in Varnamo, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 48% cheaper than Varnamo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Varnamo is 31% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$13.63 SEK 134

-84.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$94.6 SEK 932

-79.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$12.37 SEK 122

-54.16%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$4.93 SEK 48.62

-63.29%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$2.76 SEK 27.22

-72.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$2.23 SEK 21.94

-84.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$8.28 SEK 81.6

-73.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$7.34 SEK 72.4

-48.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.71 SEK 16.84

19.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$2.73 SEK 26.91

-44.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$3.92 SEK 38.63

-64.29%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$4.70 SEK 46.33

-51.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$13.11 SEK 129

23.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$12.30 SEK 121

-76.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$17.53 SEK 173

-46.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$3.13 SEK 30.89

-14.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$3.00 SEK 29.57

-63.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.89 SEK 28.44

-43.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$4.68 SEK 46.08

-68.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.79 SEK 17.66

-28.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.49 SEK 14.70

-28.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$2.74 SEK 27.00

-73.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$1.60 SEK 15.81

-66.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$8.02 SEK 79.0

-47.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$11.67 SEK 115

56.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$2.03 SEK 19.96

-19.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.79 SEK 27.45

3.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$3.41 SEK 33.57

-74.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$80.1 SEK 789

-32.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$5.14 SEK 50.6

-77.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.16 SEK 11.45

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$43.03 SEK 424

-94.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.80 SEK 17.72

-19.44%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$34.1K SEK 336.2K

-38.41%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$34.4K SEK 338.5K

-23.07%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$81.5 SEK 803

-21.86%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$32.13 SEK 317

-59.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$42.81 SEK 422

-52.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$39.50 SEK 389

-1.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$26.42 SEK 260

-85.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$15.50 SEK 153

-57.55%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$165 SEK 1,628

374.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$5,125 SEK 50.5K

186.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$83.1 SEK 819

-33.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$60.5 SEK 596

-59.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$106 SEK 1,043

-11.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$129 SEK 1,271

-42.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$844 SEK 8,319

-41.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$621 SEK 6,118

-53.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$1,410 SEK 13.9K

-36.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$1,038 SEK 10.2K

-49.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$4,235 SEK 41.7K

-53.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$2,859 SEK 28.2K

-49.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$2,104 SEK 20.7K

-71.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.03

83.83%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Varnamo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $844 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 250% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $95.0 in Varnamo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $379 – 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 92% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,682 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $165 in Varnamo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 57% 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 $932, than in Varnamo at $1,788. 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 $932 versus $1,788 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.