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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,128 per month in Gothenburg vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,175 per month in Gothenburg vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,222 per month in Gothenburg vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Gothenburg costs about 125% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Gothenburg sits 55% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.76 SEK 133

$2.08 ฿69.2

561.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.9 SEK 885

$19.64 ฿651

367.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.84 SEK 124

$5.65 ฿188

127.26%

Cappuccino

$5.06 SEK 48.77

$1.81 ฿59.9

179.56%

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

$2.94 SEK 28.33

$0.71 ฿23.66

314.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 SEK 21.08

$0.32 ฿10.48

584.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.18 SEK 69.2

$2.24 ฿74.2

220.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.86 SEK 75.7

$3.63 ฿121

116.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 SEK 17.30

$1.96 ฿65.0

-8.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 SEK 26.68

$1.50 ฿49.83

84.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 SEK 30.49

$1.34 ฿44.32

136.57%

Eggs

$4.10 SEK 39.45

$2.26 ฿75.1

81.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.10 SEK 117

$16.26 ฿539

-25.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.67 SEK 112

$2.95 ฿98.0

295.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.76 SEK 171

$9.94 ฿330

78.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 SEK 31.09

$2.57 ฿85.3

25.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 SEK 25.42

$1.06 ฿35.04

149.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 SEK 31.00

$1.61 ฿53.5

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 SEK 42.11

$1.52 ฿50.4

187.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 SEK 17.52

$1.27 ฿42.14

43.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 SEK 16.13

$1.07 ฿35.37

57.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 SEK 19.51

$0.72 ฿23.89

181.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SEK 17.13

$0.51 ฿16.87

249.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.50 SEK 81.8

$4.19 ฿139

102.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.55 SEK 140

$17.87 ฿593

-18.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 SEK 21.16

$1.69 ฿56.2

30.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SEK 22.91

$2.84 ฿94.1

-16.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.85 SEK 37.06

$0.93 ฿30.70

313.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.8 SEK 855

$53.9 ฿1,787

64.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 SEK 62.1

$1.23 ฿40.95

424.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 SEK 16.62

$0.58 ฿19.13

198.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.3 SEK 590

$2.42 ฿80.4

2430.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 18.34

$1.41 ฿46.84

34.75%

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

$34.0K SEK 327.1K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

58.36%

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

$34.4K SEK 330.9K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

25.70%

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

$110 SEK 1,060

$63.7 ฿2,112

72.80%

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

$19.66 SEK 189

$12.85 ฿426

53.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.30 SEK 350

$20.22 ฿671

79.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 SEK 365

$38.74 ฿1,285

-2.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.89 SEK 249

$3.97 ฿132

552.14%

Cinema Ticket

$19.34 SEK 186

$6.74 ฿223

186.94%

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

$230 SEK 2,212

$778 ฿25.8K

-70.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,554 SEK 43.9K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-68.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.0 SEK 876

$54.3 ฿1,801

67.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.36 SEK 331

$25.45 ฿844

35.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 SEK 906

$94.3 ฿3,129

-0.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 SEK 1,303

$73.4 ฿2,436

84.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 SEK 10.2K

$490 ฿16.2K

116.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$961 SEK 9,255

$289 ฿9,596

232.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 SEK 17.8K

$894 ฿29.6K

106.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,440 SEK 13.9K

$517 ฿17.1K

178.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,496 SEK 62.6K

$1,955 ฿64.9K

232.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,613 SEK 34.8K

$1,477 ฿49.0K

144.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,639 SEK 35.0K

$602 ฿20.0K

504.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.06

5.57

-45.06%

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

Last update for Gothenburg: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,061 in Gothenburg 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 504% higher in Gothenburg, 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 $92.0 in Gothenburg versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $372 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

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

Gothenburg costs about 125% 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 $3,192 per month in Gothenburg 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 Gothenburg 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 55% more in Gothenburg, 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 Gothenburg at $2,128. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gothenburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $2,128 in Gothenburg. 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, Gothenburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.