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 $2,063 per month in Gothenburg vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,240 per month in Gothenburg vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,417 per month in Gothenburg vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Gothenburg costs about 140% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Gothenburg sits 54% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.74 SEK 133

$1.96 ฿65.9

601.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.2 SEK 882

$18.35 ฿617

397.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 SEK 101

$7.48 ฿252

39.30%

Cappuccino

$4.86 SEK 46.95

$2.02 ฿67.8

140.59%

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

$3.08 SEK 29.74

$0.85 ฿28.52

262.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 SEK 24.77

$0.36 ฿11.97

611.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.43 SEK 71.8

$2.14 ฿71.9

247.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.72 SEK 74.6

$3.59 ฿121

115.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 SEK 17.00

$1.65 ฿55.5

6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 SEK 27.78

$1.57 ฿52.7

82.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 SEK 32.30

$1.19 ฿40.05

180.67%

Eggs

$4.63 SEK 44.80

$1.94 ฿65.1

138.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.67 SEK 113

$16.19 ฿545

-27.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.41 SEK 120

$2.99 ฿101

315.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.65 SEK 180

$10.94 ฿368

70.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 SEK 29.72

$2.71 ฿91.2

13.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 SEK 25.56

$1.17 ฿39.27

125.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 SEK 28.30

$1.69 ฿56.8

73.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 SEK 41.67

$1.60 ฿54.0

169.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 SEK 16.97

$1.38 ฿46.56

27.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 SEK 18.10

$1.20 ฿40.47

55.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 SEK 21.42

$0.67 ฿22.51

231.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SEK 15.38

$0.56 ฿18.74

183.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.94 SEK 76.8

$4.64 ฿156

71.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.36 SEK 139

$17.62 ฿593

-18.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 SEK 21.25

$1.86 ฿62.6

18.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 SEK 24.44

$3.30 ฿111

-23.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.92 SEK 37.94

$0.88 ฿29.70

345.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.9 SEK 879

$19.34 ฿651

370.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.16 SEK 98.2

$1.36 ฿45.92

647.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 SEK 16.10

$1.34 ฿45.00

24.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.6 SEK 595

$8.21 ฿276

650.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 SEK 18.95

$1.22 ฿41.20

60.66%

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

$32.2K SEK 311.1K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

50.70%

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

$35.6K SEK 343.7K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

57.83%

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

$140 SEK 1,356

$70.7 ฿2,378

98.54%

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

$25.00 SEK 242

$14.04 ฿472

78.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.56 SEK 373

$17.49 ฿589

120.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.38 SEK 400

$42.15 ฿1,418

-1.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.81 SEK 240

$6.88 ฿231

260.61%

Cinema Ticket

$18.04 SEK 174

$5.92 ฿199

204.73%

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

$178 SEK 1,719

$309 ฿10.4K

-42.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,177 SEK 40.4K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-71.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 SEK 866

$55.8 ฿1,876

60.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 SEK 381

$26.11 ฿879

50.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 SEK 922

$83.0 ฿2,793

14.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 SEK 1,474

$70.5 ฿2,371

116.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 SEK 10.6K

$432 ฿14.5K

153.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$860 SEK 8,314

$239 ฿8,040

260.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,875 SEK 18.1K

$822 ฿27.7K

128.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,404 SEK 13.6K

$512 ฿17.2K

174.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,493 SEK 62.8K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

239.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,504 SEK 33.9K

$1,467 ฿49.4K

138.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,590 SEK 34.7K

$579 ฿19.5K

519.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

-13.40%

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

Last update for Gothenburg: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,096 in Gothenburg 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 520% 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 $91.0 in Gothenburg versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $377 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

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

Gothenburg costs about 140% 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 $3,094 per month in Gothenburg 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 $178 per month in Gothenburg 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 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 $861, than in Gothenburg at $2,063. 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 $861 versus $2,063 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.