Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gavle and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $1,439 in Gavle, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

69

Cost of Living Index in Gavle
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Gavle Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Gavle

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,439

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gavle and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Gavle and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,439 per month in Gavle vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Gavle $1,439
Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Gavle vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Gavle $2,286
Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $3,134 per month in Gavle vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Gavle $3,134
Chiang Mai $1,903

Gavle costs about 55% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Gavle sits 6% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.69 SEK 136

$2.29 ฿76.5

497.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.4 SEK 786

$19.64 ฿656

304.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.31 SEK 92.2

$5.61 ฿188

65.95%

Cappuccino

$4.42 SEK 43.79

$1.66 ฿55.6

166.27%

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

$2.07 SEK 20.51

$0.70 ฿23.40

195.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 SEK 18.95

$0.31 ฿10.24

516.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.79 SEK 77.2

$2.41 ฿80.4

223.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.75 SEK 76.8

$3.71 ฿124

108.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SEK 16.12

$1.95 ฿65.3

-16.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 SEK 25.84

$1.41 ฿47.03

85.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 SEK 36.95

$1.31 ฿43.62

184.73%

Eggs

$3.81 SEK 37.80

$2.18 ฿72.9

74.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 SEK 90.4

$16.65 ฿556

-45.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.29 SEK 102

$2.76 ฿92.2

272.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 SEK 186

$9.11 ฿304

105.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 SEK 30.25

$2.39 ฿80.0

27.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 SEK 27.16

$1.03 ฿34.26

166.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 SEK 32.43

$1.63 ฿54.4

100.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 SEK 43.07

$1.50 ฿50.0

190.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 SEK 17.12

$1.29 ฿43.13

34.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 SEK 17.99

$1.11 ฿37.03

63.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 SEK 25.26

$0.72 ฿24.08

254.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 SEK 20.35

$0.53 ฿17.59

286.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.99 SEK 79.1

$4.31 ฿144

85.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 SEK 110

$17.95 ฿600

-37.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 SEK 16.23

$1.58 ฿52.9

3.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 SEK 15.34

$2.84 ฿95.0

-45.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.25 SEK 32.22

$0.86 ฿28.86

277.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.4 SEK 598

$53.3 ฿1,780

13.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 SEK 44.83

$1.21 ฿40.29

273.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 SEK 15.16

$0.57 ฿18.99

168.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.87 SEK 336

$2.35 ฿78.6

1341.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 SEK 17.90

$1.44 ฿47.96

25.69%

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

$25.8K SEK 255.2K

$20.7K ฿692.8K

24.24%

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

$28.1K SEK 278.1K

$26.8K ฿895.7K

4.74%

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

$55.6 SEK 551

$62.3 ฿2,083

-10.77%

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

$21.93 SEK 217

$12.11 ฿405

81.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.60 SEK 392

$19.94 ฿666

98.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.32 SEK 469

$37.07 ฿1,239

27.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$15.22 SEK 151

$6.50 ฿217

134.15%

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

$133 SEK 1,321

$793 ฿26.5K

-83.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K SEK 151.1K

$14.8K ฿494.9K

3.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 SEK 699

$53.7 ฿1,796

31.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.8 SEK 583

$24.62 ฿823

138.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.9 SEK 505

$90.9 ฿3,036

-43.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 SEK 887

$71.1 ฿2,378

25.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 SEK 5,738

$455 ฿15.2K

27.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$425 SEK 4,208

$298 ฿9,954

42.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$762 SEK 7,546

$908 ฿30.4K

-16.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 SEK 6,593

$554 ฿18.5K

20.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,945 SEK 19.3K

$1,931 ฿64.5K

0.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,333 SEK 13.2K

$1,445 ฿48.3K

-7.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,144 SEK 31.1K

$591 ฿19.7K

432.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.37

5.57

-39.50%

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

Last update for Gavle: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Gavle

$425 29.5%

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2% 29.9% $127

Groceries & Markets

Gavle

$351 24.4%

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5% 33% $116

Eating Out

Gavle

$261 18.1%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5% 69.9% $182

Clothing & Footwear

Gavle

$121 8.4%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7% 10.9% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gavle

$117 8.1%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2% 19.4% $23

Getting Around

Gavle

$86 6%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 29% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Gavle

$78 5.4%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 35.6% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $579 in Gavle versus $455 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 432% higher in Gavle, 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 $79.0 in Gavle versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $235 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇸🇪 Gavle

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

09:45 9:45 AM

14:45 2:45 PM

5 h ahead of Gavle

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

100,000

127,240

💱 Currency

Swedish Krona SEK kr

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 SEK = 10.09 USD

100 SEK = 8.98 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇪 Swedish Krona (kr)

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to SEK in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Gavle Chiang Mai 7,750 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Gavle
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Gavle costs about 55% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $2,158 per month in Gavle and $1,388 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 $133 per month in Gavle and $793 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% more in Gavle, 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 $925, than in Gavle at $1,439. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gavle it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $1,439 in Gavle. 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, Gavle makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.