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 $1,813 per month in Lidingo vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,745 per month in Lidingo vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,677 per month in Lidingo vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Lidingo costs about 113% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Lidingo sits 35% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.97 SEK 102

$1.96 ฿64.0

459.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.1 SEK 522

$18.81 ฿615

198.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.34 SEK 77.6

$7.92 ฿259

5.30%

Cappuccino

$3.07 SEK 28.52

$1.91 ฿62.6

60.73%

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

$3.24 SEK 30.11

$0.84 ฿27.41

285.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SEK 24.10

$0.35 ฿11.51

640.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.22 SEK 48.58

$2.21 ฿72.1

136.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.80 SEK 44.63

$3.80 ฿124

26.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 SEK 14.90

$1.64 ฿53.5

-2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 SEK 24.71

$1.62 ฿53.1

64.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 SEK 34.87

$1.18 ฿38.62

217.80%

Eggs

$3.92 SEK 36.48

$2.01 ฿65.8

95.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 SEK 111

$15.89 ฿520

-24.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.71 SEK 118

$3.01 ฿98.5

322.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.85 SEK 175

$10.77 ฿352

75.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 SEK 31.11

$2.61 ฿85.5

28.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 SEK 23.91

$1.22 ฿39.88

110.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 SEK 33.59

$1.70 ฿55.7

112.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.71 SEK 34.50

$1.58 ฿51.5

134.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 SEK 20.17

$1.32 ฿43.14

64.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 SEK 18.75

$1.17 ฿38.23

72.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 SEK 26.45

$0.67 ฿21.98

323.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SEK 17.18

$0.56 ฿18.32

230.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.69 SEK 71.5

$4.53 ฿148

69.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.86 SEK 138

$18.20 ฿595

-18.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 SEK 12.85

$1.83 ฿60.0

-24.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SEK 20.86

$3.23 ฿106

-30.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.32 SEK 30.92

$0.89 ฿29.00

273.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 SEK 700

$19.38 ฿634

288.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 SEK 33.62

$1.35 ฿44.20

167.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 SEK 14.79

$1.35 ฿44.05

17.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$84.9 SEK 789

$8.25 ฿270

928.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 SEK 17.73

$1.27 ฿41.64

50.39%

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

$32.8K SEK 305.4K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

55.22%

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

$33.9K SEK 315.0K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

50.63%

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

$188 SEK 1,746

$70.2 ฿2,294

167.67%

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

$29.24 SEK 272

$13.77 ฿450

112.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.23 SEK 383

$17.60 ฿575

134.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.30 SEK 375

$41.57 ฿1,360

-3.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.50 SEK 237

$6.60 ฿216

286.36%

Cinema Ticket

$19.14 SEK 178

$5.78 ฿189

231.14%

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

$159 SEK 1,474

$306 ฿10.0K

-48.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,198 SEK 39.0K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-71.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.1 SEK 884

$54.4 ฿1,778

74.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.91 SEK 390

$26.14 ฿855

60.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 SEK 873

$84.5 ฿2,764

11.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 SEK 1,132

$69.4 ฿2,270

75.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 SEK 7,882

$424 ฿13.9K

100.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 SEK 5,971

$238 ฿7,788

169.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 SEK 12.8K

$825 ฿27.0K

67.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 SEK 10.0K

$515 ฿16.8K

109.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,355 SEK 40.5K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

112.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,072 SEK 28.6K

$1,523 ฿49.8K

101.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,732 SEK 25.4K

$635 ฿20.8K

330.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.87

-2.60%

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

Last update for Lidingo: April 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $848 in Lidingo versus $424 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 330% 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 $56.0 in Lidingo versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $380 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

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

Lidingo costs about 113% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,720 per month in Lidingo and $1,278 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 $159 per month in Lidingo and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% 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 $852, than in Lidingo at $1,813. 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 $852 versus $1,813 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.