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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,692 in Ystad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,716 in Ystad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,740 in Ystad, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 45% cheaper than Ystad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Ystad is 24% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$12.41 SEK 122

-83.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$89.7 SEK 884

-78.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$10.53 SEK 104

-46.15%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$3.09 SEK 30.45

-41.42%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$2.92 SEK 28.81

-73.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$2.38 SEK 23.47

-85.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$7.15 SEK 70.4

-69.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$7.96 SEK 78.4

-52.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.74 SEK 17.12

17.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$2.83 SEK 27.85

-46.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$3.22 SEK 31.73

-56.52%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$3.15 SEK 31.03

-28.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$11.86 SEK 117

36.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$9.53 SEK 93.9

-69.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$17.36 SEK 171

-45.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$3.26 SEK 32.12

-17.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.57 SEK 25.37

-57.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$3.20 SEK 31.50

-49.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$4.40 SEK 43.38

-66.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.68 SEK 16.51

-23.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.69 SEK 16.61

-37.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$2.02 SEK 19.88

-64.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$1.76 SEK 17.32

-69.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$8.54 SEK 84.2

-50.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$12.57 SEK 124

45.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$2.20 SEK 21.67

-25.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.24 SEK 22.06

29.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$3.35 SEK 33.05

-73.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$79.9 SEK 788

-32.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$6.28 SEK 61.9

-81.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.78 SEK 17.50

-67.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$62.4 SEK 615

-96.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.93 SEK 19.05

-24.87%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$30.8K SEK 303.0K

-31.67%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$35.5K SEK 350.2K

-25.64%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$106 SEK 1,046

-40.01%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$19.40 SEK 191

-33.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$31.45 SEK 310

-34.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$39.48 SEK 389

-1.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$26.20 SEK 258

-85.04%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$12.39 SEK 122

-46.89%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$187 SEK 1,841

319.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$4,588 SEK 45.2K

219.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$52.4 SEK 516

5.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$33.85 SEK 334

-26.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$94.1 SEK 927

0.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$135 SEK 1,335

-45.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$845 SEK 8,324

-41.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$604 SEK 5,953

-52.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$1,426 SEK 14.1K

-37.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$1,048 SEK 10.3K

-50.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$4,229 SEK 41.7K

-53.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$2,901 SEK 28.6K

-50.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$1,914 SEK 18.9K

-68.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.06

82.03%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ystad: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $845 in Ystad. 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 218% higher in Ystad, 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 $90.0 in Ystad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $351 – 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 Ystad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ystad costs about 81% 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 $2,537 in Ystad. 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 $187 in Ystad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Ystad, 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 Ystad at $1,692. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ystad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,692 in Ystad. 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, Ystad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.