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 $2,211 per month in Falun vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,364 per month in Falun vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,517 per month in Falun vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Falun costs about 133% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Falun sits 61% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.32 SEK 127

$2.08 ฿68.5

540.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 SEK 658

$19.64 ฿646

250.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 SEK 88.4

$5.65 ฿186

63.54%

Cappuccino

$4.33 SEK 41.43

$1.81 ฿59.3

139.23%

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

$1.97 SEK 18.89

$0.71 ฿23.44

177.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SEK 19.28

$0.32 ฿10.38

531.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.46 SEK 71.3

$2.24 ฿73.5

233.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 SEK 68.9

$3.63 ฿119

98.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 SEK 13.45

$1.96 ฿64.4

-28.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.00 SEK 28.71

$1.50 ฿49.38

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.13 SEK 39.49

$1.34 ฿43.92

208.21%

Eggs

$4.55 SEK 43.50

$2.26 ฿74.4

101.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 SEK 128

$16.26 ฿534

-17.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.50 SEK 100

$2.95 ฿97.1

255.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 SEK 173

$9.94 ฿327

81.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 SEK 31.63

$2.57 ฿84.5

28.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 SEK 26.38

$1.06 ฿34.72

160.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 SEK 20.49

$1.61 ฿53.0

32.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 SEK 46.68

$1.52 ฿49.96

221.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 14.80

$1.27 ฿41.76

22.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 SEK 18.03

$1.07 ฿35.05

76.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 SEK 22.90

$0.72 ฿23.67

231.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SEK 19.15

$0.51 ฿16.72

292.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.55 SEK 72.2

$4.19 ฿138

80.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.42 SEK 99.7

$17.87 ฿587

-41.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 SEK 19.81

$1.69 ฿55.7

22.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 SEK 23.22

$2.84 ฿93.2

-14.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.62 SEK 44.18

$0.93 ฿30.42

396.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.4 SEK 913

$53.9 ฿1,770

77.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.28 SEK 79.2

$1.23 ฿40.58

573.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 SEK 19.65

$0.58 ฿18.96

253.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$77.0 SEK 736

$2.42 ฿79.7

3080.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 SEK 16.90

$1.41 ฿46.42

25.53%

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

$34.3K SEK 328.4K

$21.4K ฿704.9K

60.11%

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

$34.6K SEK 331.2K

$27.3K ฿898.5K

26.69%

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

$140 SEK 1,335

$63.7 ฿2,093

119.27%

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

$27.61 SEK 264

$12.85 ฿423

114.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.37 SEK 396

$20.22 ฿665

104.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.8 SEK 668

$38.74 ฿1,274

80.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.83 SEK 257

$3.97 ฿130

575.82%

Cinema Ticket

$16.91 SEK 162

$6.74 ฿221

150.89%

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

$230 SEK 2,199

$778 ฿25.6K

-70.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,356 SEK 51.2K

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-63.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 SEK 1,000

$54.3 ฿1,785

92.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.0 SEK 507

$25.45 ฿836

108.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 SEK 956

$94.3 ฿3,101

5.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$214 SEK 2,049

$73.4 ฿2,414

191.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 SEK 12.0K

$490 ฿16.1K

155.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$929 SEK 8,890

$289 ฿9,510

221.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 SEK 19.0K

$894 ฿29.4K

122.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 SEK 15.1K

$517 ฿17.0K

205.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,283 SEK 41.0K

$1,955 ฿64.3K

119.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,901 SEK 27.7K

$1,477 ฿48.5K

96.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,026 SEK 28.9K

$602 ฿19.8K

402.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.2

5.57

-42.55%

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

Last update for Falun: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,252 in Falun versus $490 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 402% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 vs $240 – 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 133% 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 $3,316 per month in Falun and $1,421 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 $230 per month in Falun and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% 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 $947, than in Falun at $2,211. 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 $947 versus $2,211 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.