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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,142 per month in Falun vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,235 per month in Falun vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,328 per month in Falun vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Falun costs about 147% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Falun sits 60% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 SEK 122

$1.94 ฿63.5

569.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 SEK 651

$18.64 ฿609

272.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.32 SEK 87.4

$7.82 ฿255

19.18%

Cappuccino

$4.57 SEK 42.84

$1.95 ฿63.8

134.36%

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

$1.87 SEK 17.58

$0.85 ฿27.77

120.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 SEK 19.16

$0.35 ฿11.58

482.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.25 SEK 68.0

$2.13 ฿69.6

240.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.47 SEK 70.1

$3.73 ฿122

100.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 SEK 12.93

$1.71 ฿56.0

-19.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 SEK 26.80

$1.63 ฿53.2

75.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.94 SEK 36.99

$1.14 ฿37.15

245.61%

Eggs

$3.94 SEK 36.94

$1.93 ฿63.1

104.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.14 SEK 123

$16.21 ฿530

-18.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.37 SEK 97.3

$3.12 ฿102

232.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.76 SEK 148

$10.90 ฿356

44.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 SEK 34.14

$2.75 ฿90.0

32.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 SEK 24.03

$1.21 ฿39.52

111.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 SEK 14.48

$1.62 ฿53.0

-4.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.63 SEK 52.8

$1.59 ฿51.8

254.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 SEK 14.02

$1.40 ฿45.70

7.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 SEK 19.64

$1.17 ฿38.17

78.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 SEK 25.62

$0.66 ฿21.60

313.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 SEK 15.60

$0.53 ฿17.22

213.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.42 SEK 69.5

$4.69 ฿153

58.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.71 SEK 100

$18.66 ฿609

-42.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SEK 15.99

$1.80 ฿58.8

-5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SEK 18.62

$3.23 ฿106

-38.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.73 SEK 44.40

$0.90 ฿29.26

425.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.2 SEK 911

$19.21 ฿628

405.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 SEK 77.4

$1.41 ฿45.91

485.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 SEK 15.33

$1.29 ฿42.12

26.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$76.8 SEK 721

$7.84 ฿256

879.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 SEK 17.45

$1.27 ฿41.58

46.46%

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

$38.2K SEK 357.9K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

79.34%

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

$34.4K SEK 322.7K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

54.90%

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

$91.4 SEK 857

$69.1 ฿2,256

32.34%

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

$28.64 SEK 269

$14.08 ฿460

103.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.62 SEK 343

$18.00 ฿588

103.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.8 SEK 673

$41.06 ฿1,341

74.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.84 SEK 233

$6.96 ฿227

256.90%

Cinema Ticket

$15.55 SEK 146

$5.92 ฿193

162.67%

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

$146 SEK 1,372

$299 ฿9,766

-51.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$736 SEK 6,903

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-95.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 SEK 995

$54.7 ฿1,787

93.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.09 SEK 404

$26.77 ฿874

60.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 SEK 1,101

$85.0 ฿2,776

38.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 SEK 1,483

$70.6 ฿2,306

123.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 SEK 12.1K

$428 ฿14.0K

200.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$957 SEK 8,974

$237 ฿7,752

303.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,963 SEK 18.4K

$801 ฿26.2K

144.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 SEK 15.0K

$515 ฿16.8K

210.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,404 SEK 41.3K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

123.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,027 SEK 28.4K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

105.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,772 SEK 26.0K

$617 ฿20.2K

348.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-20.00%

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

Last update for Falun: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,286 in Falun versus $428 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 349% higher in Falun, 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 $69.0 in Falun versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $246 – 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

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

Falun costs about 147% 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 $3,213 per month in Falun and $1,300 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 $146 per month in Falun and $299 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 Falun, 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 $866, than in Falun at $2,142. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Falun it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $2,142 in Falun. 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, Falun makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.