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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,756 per month in Eskilstuna vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,714 per month in Eskilstuna vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,671 per month in Eskilstuna vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Eskilstuna costs about 104% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 SEK 125

$1.96 ฿65.9

561.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.3 SEK 650

$18.35 ฿617

266.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.39 SEK 100

$7.48 ฿252

38.90%

Cappuccino

$4.52 SEK 43.70

$2.02 ฿67.8

123.76%

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

$2.69 SEK 26.03

$0.85 ฿28.52

216.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 SEK 23.12

$0.36 ฿11.97

563.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.28 SEK 70.4

$2.14 ฿71.9

240.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 SEK 71.1

$3.59 ฿121

104.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 SEK 14.68

$1.65 ฿55.5

-7.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 SEK 29.67

$1.57 ฿52.7

95.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.45 SEK 33.35

$1.19 ฿40.05

189.92%

Eggs

$4.07 SEK 39.37

$1.94 ฿65.1

109.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.05 SEK 136

$16.19 ฿545

-13.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.74 SEK 113

$2.99 ฿101

292.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.48 SEK 130

$10.94 ฿368

23.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 SEK 32.56

$2.71 ฿91.2

24.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 SEK 25.17

$1.17 ฿39.27

122.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 SEK 24.90

$1.69 ฿56.8

52.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.83 SEK 37.03

$1.60 ฿54.0

139.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 SEK 14.36

$1.38 ฿46.56

7.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 SEK 20.82

$1.20 ฿40.47

79.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 SEK 26.60

$0.67 ฿22.51

310.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SEK 16.40

$0.56 ฿18.74

203.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.55 SEK 73.0

$4.64 ฿156

62.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.30 SEK 80.3

$17.62 ฿593

-52.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 SEK 22.62

$1.86 ฿62.6

25.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SEK 18.31

$3.30 ฿111

-42.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 SEK 31.72

$0.88 ฿29.70

272.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.7 SEK 655

$19.34 ฿651

250.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.73 SEK 65.1

$1.36 ฿45.92

394.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 SEK 11.47

$1.34 ฿45.00

-11.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.9 SEK 588

$8.21 ฿276

641.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 18.55

$1.22 ฿41.20

57.38%

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

$32.7K SEK 315.9K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

53.05%

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

$34.2K SEK 330.8K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

51.88%

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

$90.7 SEK 877

$70.7 ฿2,378

28.33%

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

$27.99 SEK 271

$14.04 ฿472

99.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 SEK 359

$17.49 ฿589

112.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.08 SEK 252

$42.15 ฿1,418

-38.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.74 SEK 249

$6.88 ฿231

274.13%

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 SEK 112

$5.92 ฿199

95.61%

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

$127 SEK 1,228

$309 ฿10.4K

-58.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$733 SEK 7,087

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-95.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 SEK 1,027

$55.8 ฿1,876

90.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.37 SEK 303

$26.11 ฿879

20.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 SEK 931

$83.0 ฿2,793

16.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 SEK 1,524

$70.5 ฿2,371

123.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$745 SEK 7,197

$432 ฿14.5K

72.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 SEK 6,104

$239 ฿8,040

164.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,202 SEK 11.6K

$822 ฿27.7K

46.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,042 SEK 10.1K

$512 ฿17.2K

103.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,038 SEK 39.0K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

110.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,850 SEK 27.5K

$1,467 ฿49.4K

94.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,312 SEK 41.7K

$579 ฿19.5K

644.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

-9.40%

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

Last update for Eskilstuna: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $745 in Eskilstuna versus $432 in Chiang Mai. 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 644% higher in Eskilstuna, 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 $67.0 in Eskilstuna versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $243 – 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

Eskilstuna vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Eskilstuna 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 $2,634 per month in Eskilstuna and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. 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 $127 per month in Eskilstuna and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Eskilstuna, 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 $861, than in Eskilstuna at $1,756. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Eskilstuna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,756 in Eskilstuna. 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, Eskilstuna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.