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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,869 per month in Lidingo vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,892 per month in Lidingo vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,915 per month in Lidingo vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Lidingo costs about 100% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lidingo sits 37% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.40 SEK 141

$2.08 ฿69.2

592.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 SEK 717

$19.61 ฿652

272.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.51 SEK 113

$5.67 ฿189

103.00%

Cappuccino

$3.10 SEK 30.49

$1.81 ฿60.0

71.27%

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

$2.44 SEK 23.96

$0.77 ฿25.55

216.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 SEK 25.25

$0.35 ฿11.48

634.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.57 SEK 64.6

$2.21 ฿73.6

197.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 SEK 56.1

$3.79 ฿126

50.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 SEK 14.28

$2.05 ฿68.1

-29.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 SEK 30.80

$1.51 ฿50.4

107.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.72 SEK 36.53

$1.40 ฿46.51

165.71%

Eggs

$4.12 SEK 40.47

$2.26 ฿75.1

82.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.46 SEK 122

$16.19 ฿538

-23.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.26 SEK 130

$2.90 ฿96.3

357.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.12 SEK 227

$9.42 ฿313

145.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 SEK 31.88

$2.68 ฿89.1

20.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 SEK 24.66

$1.09 ฿36.23

130.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 SEK 37.10

$1.62 ฿53.8

133.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 SEK 41.48

$1.46 ฿48.55

189.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 SEK 20.12

$1.28 ฿42.48

60.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 SEK 19.07

$1.06 ฿35.17

83.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 SEK 22.69

$0.72 ฿23.85

220.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 SEK 15.51

$0.53 ฿17.49

198.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.77 SEK 76.3

$4.23 ฿141

83.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.64 SEK 124

$18.29 ฿608

-30.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 SEK 14.00

$1.63 ฿54.2

-12.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 SEK 22.34

$2.90 ฿96.5

-21.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 SEK 34.31

$0.88 ฿29.20

296.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.7 SEK 773

$53.8 ฿1,788

46.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 SEK 35.38

$1.17 ฿38.99

207.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.94 SEK 28.84

$0.58 ฿19.22

406.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$84.8 SEK 833

$2.39 ฿79.3

3448.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 SEK 18.56

$1.45 ฿48.22

30.34%

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

$34.3K SEK 337.3K

$21.0K ฿698.6K

63.39%

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

$34.6K SEK 339.5K

$26.4K ฿878.6K

30.78%

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

$191 SEK 1,880

$63.7 ฿2,116

200.64%

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

$23.36 SEK 230

$12.89 ฿429

81.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.63 SEK 448

$20.52 ฿682

122.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.99 SEK 383

$39.02 ฿1,297

-0.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.81 SEK 254

$3.92 ฿130

558.42%

Cinema Ticket

$17.25 SEK 169

$6.58 ฿219

162.16%

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

$157 SEK 1,545

$784 ฿26.1K

-79.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,196 SEK 51.0K

$14.7K ฿487.9K

-64.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 SEK 1,046

$55.1 ฿1,833

93.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.03 SEK 403

$24.74 ฿823

65.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 SEK 903

$94.1 ฿3,130

-2.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 SEK 1,415

$74.0 ฿2,459

94.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 SEK 8,290

$490 ฿16.3K

72.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$610 SEK 5,997

$288 ฿9,582

111.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,386 SEK 13.6K

$891 ฿29.6K

55.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,066 SEK 10.5K

$521 ฿17.3K

104.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,140 SEK 40.7K

$1,974 ฿65.6K

109.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,973 SEK 29.2K

$1,444 ฿48.0K

105.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,592 SEK 25.5K

$602 ฿20.0K

330.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.53

5.57

-36.62%

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

Last update for Lidingo: September 15, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $844 in Lidingo 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 331% higher in Lidingo, 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 $73.0 in Lidingo versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $393 vs $241 – 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

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

Lidingo costs about 100% 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 $2,804 per month in Lidingo and $1,398 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 $157 per month in Lidingo and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 63% more in Lidingo, 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 $932, than in Lidingo at $1,869. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lidingo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,869 in Lidingo. 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, Lidingo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.