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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,743 in Visby, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,773 in Visby, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,804 in Visby, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 51% cheaper than Visby, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Visby is 31% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$10.48 SEK 99.6

-80.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$95.0 SEK 902

-80.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$9.28 SEK 88.2

-15.30%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$3.02 SEK 28.72

-32.78%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$3.24 SEK 30.74

-75.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$2.74 SEK 26.07

-87.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$7.63 SEK 72.5

-71.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$4.17 SEK 39.64

-11.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.54 SEK 14.61

12.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$2.72 SEK 25.87

-42.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$3.18 SEK 30.19

-62.26%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$4.03 SEK 38.24

-51.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$10.75 SEK 102

50.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$12.10 SEK 115

-74.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$18.87 SEK 179

-42.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.13 SEK 29.71

-11.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.58 SEK 24.54

-54.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$3.11 SEK 29.56

-45.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$3.72 SEK 35.35

-57.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.81 SEK 17.15

-23.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.74 SEK 16.55

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$2.93 SEK 27.86

-77.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.19 SEK 11.27

-56.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$5.95 SEK 56.6

-21.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$12.24 SEK 116

45.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.36 SEK 22.39

-24.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.88 SEK 17.89

77.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$3.22 SEK 30.63

-71.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$49.23 SEK 468

-62.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$3.66 SEK 34.74

-61.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.19 SEK 11.28

12.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$86.0 SEK 817

-90.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.90 SEK 18.04

-35.26%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$32.4K SEK 307.7K

-33.82%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$34.8K SEK 330.6K

-37.29%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$190 SEK 1,807

-62.49%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$28.67 SEK 272

-51.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$41.87 SEK 398

-57.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$48.15 SEK 457

-15.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$41.52 SEK 394

-83.43%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$14.92 SEK 142

-61.66%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$159 SEK 1,508

94.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$4,205 SEK 39.9K

249.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$96.2 SEK 914

-42.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$43.03 SEK 409

-39.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$93.2 SEK 885

-8.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$121 SEK 1,151

-41.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$764 SEK 7,261

-44.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$584 SEK 5,546

-58.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$1,465 SEK 13.9K

-45.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$1,046 SEK 9,937

-51.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$4,341 SEK 41.2K

-55.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$3,097 SEK 29.4K

-52.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$2,535 SEK 24.1K

-76.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.87

2.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Visby: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $764 in Visby. 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 326% higher in Visby, 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 $95.0 in Visby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $358 – 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 Visby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Visby costs about 104% 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 $2,614 in Visby. 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 $159 in Visby. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% more in Visby, 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 Visby at $1,743. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Visby it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,743 in Visby. 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, Visby makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.