Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Vasteras

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $1,818 in Vasteras, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
88

Cost of Living Index in Vasteras
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Vasteras Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Vasteras

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,818

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Vasteras

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Vasteras actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,818 in Vasteras, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Vasteras $1,818

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,764 in Vasteras, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Vasteras $2,764

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,710 in Vasteras, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Vasteras $3,710

Chiang Mai is about 48% cheaper than Vasteras, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 30% below the global median, while Vasteras is 35% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$13.70 SEK 136

-83.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$64.6 SEK 640

-70.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$9.91 SEK 98.2

-43.59%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$4.23 SEK 41.92

-59.34%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$2.25 SEK 22.27

-71.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$2.22 SEK 21.97

-85.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

$7.15 SEK 70.8

-66.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

$7.08 SEK 70.2

-44.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$1.40 SEK 13.87

46.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$3.00 SEK 29.70

-53.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$3.57 SEK 35.37

-64.15%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$3.89 SEK 38.55

-42.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$12.11 SEK 120

39.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$12.74 SEK 126

-78.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$22.30 SEK 221

-58.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$3.19 SEK 31.59

-24.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$2.53 SEK 25.05

-60.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$3.67 SEK 36.37

-56.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$4.39 SEK 43.46

-65.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$1.47 SEK 14.55

-12.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$1.70 SEK 16.80

-34.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$2.18 SEK 21.62

-66.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$1.49 SEK 14.73

-65.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$7.08 SEK 70.2

-38.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

$13.30 SEK 132

33.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.32 SEK 13.10

23.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$2.17 SEK 21.54

31.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$3.32 SEK 32.88

-74.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$70.7 SEK 700

-23.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$3.51 SEK 34.78

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$2.50 SEK 24.78

-77.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$81.0 SEK 802

-97.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$1.66 SEK 16.49

-12.65%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$33.2K SEK 328.6K

-38.27%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$32.0K SEK 317.5K

-17.25%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$183 SEK 1,817

-66.01%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$22.17 SEK 220

-44.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$43.15 SEK 428

-53.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$34.14 SEK 338

11.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

$19.65 SEK 195

-80.87%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$16.74 SEK 166

-59.92%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

$151 SEK 1,499

426.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

$4,881 SEK 48.4K

203.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$101 SEK 1,002

-47.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$40.24 SEK 399

-37.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$86.7 SEK 859

5.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$134 SEK 1,323

-44.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$750 SEK 7,429

-38.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$601 SEK 5,957

-49.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$1,366 SEK 13.5K

-32.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$997 SEK 9,880

-44.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

$3,564 SEK 35.3K

-46.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

$2,404 SEK 23.8K

-40.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$2,996 SEK 29.7K

-80.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.53

57.79%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Vasteras: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Vasteras

$601 33.1% 97.3% $296

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Vasteras

$380 20.9% 59.8% $142

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Vasteras

$163 9% 48.6% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Vasteras

$249 13.7% 163% $154

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Vasteras

$258 14.2% 226% $179

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Vasteras

$100 5.5% 63.1% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Vasteras

$68 3.7% 31.7% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $750 in Vasteras. 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 403% higher in Vasteras, 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 $65.0 in Vasteras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $380 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇸🇪 Vasteras

🕒 Local time

06:08 6:08 AM

01:08 1:08 AM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

110,877

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 SEK = 10.09 USD

100 SEK = 8.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Vasteras 7,790 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Vasteras

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Vasteras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vasteras costs about 94% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,728 in Vasteras. 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 $797 per month in Chiang Mai and $151 in Vasteras. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 60% more in Vasteras, 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 $938, than in Vasteras at $1,818. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vasteras it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $938 versus $1,818 in Vasteras. 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, Vasteras makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.