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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,809 in Visby, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,790 in Visby, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,771 in Visby, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$13.09 SEK 129

-84.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$84.5 SEK 833

-76.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$9.33 SEK 92.0

-39.23%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$4.04 SEK 39.79

-55.20%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$2.46 SEK 24.25

-68.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$2.58 SEK 25.47

-86.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$7.73 SEK 76.2

-71.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$4.09 SEK 40.33

-7.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.50 SEK 14.79

36.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$3.18 SEK 31.33

-52.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$3.22 SEK 31.72

-56.52%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$4.17 SEK 41.10

-45.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$10.22 SEK 101

58.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$12.14 SEK 120

-76.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$16.40 SEK 162

-42.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$3.07 SEK 30.23

-12.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.64 SEK 26.04

-58.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$3.16 SEK 31.13

-48.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$4.16 SEK 40.99

-64.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.79 SEK 17.67

-28.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.81 SEK 17.85

-41.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$2.32 SEK 22.87

-68.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$1.05 SEK 10.39

-49.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$5.25 SEK 51.8

-19.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$12.47 SEK 123

46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$2.32 SEK 22.83

-29.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.60 SEK 15.75

81.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$3.21 SEK 31.65

-72.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$81.3 SEK 801

-33.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$3.62 SEK 35.70

-67.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$2.84 SEK 27.99

-79.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$82.7 SEK 815

-97.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.89 SEK 18.64

-23.28%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$34.4K SEK 339.0K

-38.92%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$34.4K SEK 338.6K

-23.10%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$189 SEK 1,864

-66.36%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$23.02 SEK 227

-44.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$44.83 SEK 442

-54.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$39.54 SEK 390

-1.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$26.38 SEK 260

-85.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$14.39 SEK 142

-54.27%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$154 SEK 1,522

407.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$5,200 SEK 51.2K

182.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$106 SEK 1,046

-48.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$41.39 SEK 408

-40.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$91.6 SEK 902

2.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$143 SEK 1,414

-48.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$750 SEK 7,388

-34.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$573 SEK 5,647

-49.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$1,407 SEK 13.9K

-36.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$1,060 SEK 10.4K

-50.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$4,189 SEK 41.3K

-52.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$2,969 SEK 29.3K

-51.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$2,555 SEK 25.2K

-76.45%

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Visby: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $750 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 325% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $85.0 in Visby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $352 – 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 94% 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 $2,714 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $154 in Visby. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% 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 $932, than in Visby at $1,809. 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 $932 versus $1,809 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.