Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ludvika and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,567 in Ludvika, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Ludvika, Sweden
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Ludvika
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,567
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ludvika 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 Ludvika and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,567 per month in Ludvika vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Ludvika $1,567
  • Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $2,609 per month in Ludvika vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Ludvika $2,609
  • Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $3,650 per month in Ludvika vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Ludvika $3,650
  • Chiang Mai $1,979

Ludvika costs about 67% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Ludvika sits 15% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ludvika
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.68 SEK 134
$2.24 ฿75.6
510.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.9 SEK 637
$19.00 ฿641
241.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.96 SEK 97.8
$5.55 ฿187
79.46%
Cappuccino
$4.43 SEK 43.53
$1.67 ฿56.5
165.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70 SEK 26.54
$0.64 ฿21.55
321.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15 SEK 21.15
$0.31 ฿10.31
593.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.17 SEK 70.4
$2.36 ฿79.6
203.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.11 SEK 69.8
$3.66 ฿124
94.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ludvika
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.71 SEK 16.76
$1.95 ฿65.8
-12.31%
White Bread (500g)
$2.56 SEK 25.18
$1.44 ฿48.48
77.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.83 SEK 37.62
$1.33 ฿45.04
187.97%
Eggs
$5.08 SEK 49.91
$2.28 ฿77.1
122.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.69 SEK 134
$16.45 ฿555
-16.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.44 SEK 132
$2.78 ฿93.9
383.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$27.55 SEK 271
$9.31 ฿314
195.92%
Apples (1kg)
$3.20 SEK 31.43
$2.35 ฿79.4
36.17%
Banana (1kg)
$3.33 SEK 32.68
$0.97 ฿32.80
243.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.54 SEK 34.77
$1.60 ฿53.9
121.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.17 SEK 40.91
$1.50 ฿50.6
178.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.50 SEK 14.76
$1.28 ฿43.12
17.19%
Onion (1kg)
$1.74 SEK 17.06
$1.10 ฿37.19
58.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.28 SEK 22.39
$0.71 ฿23.82
221.13%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.52 SEK 14.95
$0.49 ฿16.37
210.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.14 SEK 70.2
$4.14 ฿140
72.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.88 SEK 97.1
$17.52 ฿591
-43.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 SEK 19.45
$1.61 ฿54.5
22.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 SEK 22.64
$2.78 ฿94.0
-16.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Ludvika
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.87 ฿29.31
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$54.1 ฿1,826
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$13.32 SEK 131
$1.16 ฿39.06
1048.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 SEK 20.18
$0.53 ฿17.80
286.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$80.7 SEK 792
$2.42 ฿81.8
3233.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.71 SEK 16.78
$1.45 ฿48.90
17.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K SEK 331.2K
$21.1K ฿710.7K
60.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.3K SEK 327.0K
$26.9K ฿909.3K
23.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ludvika
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$100 SEK 985
$62.2 ฿2,098
61.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.19 SEK 198
$12.17 ฿411
65.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$46.79 SEK 459
$20.12 ฿679
132.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ludvika
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.56 SEK 290
$37.31 ฿1,259
-20.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$49.43 SEK 485
$3.77 ฿127
1211.14%
Cinema Ticket
$17.23 SEK 169
$6.49 ฿219
165.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ludvika
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$222 SEK 2,180
$736 ฿24.8K
-69.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$14.8K ฿498.3K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ludvika
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$98.9 SEK 971
$53.4 ฿1,801
85.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.8 SEK 519
$24.64 ฿831
114.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.1 SEK 943
$91.5 ฿3,087
5.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$218 SEK 2,137
$71.9 ฿2,428
202.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ludvika
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$455 SEK 4,469
$482 ฿16.3K
-5.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$431 SEK 4,229
$309 ฿10.4K
39.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$946 SEK 9,292
$1,006 ฿33.9K
-5.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$963 SEK 9,459
$633 ฿21.4K
52.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,363 ฿79.8K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,589 ฿53.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ludvika
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,637 SEK 35.7K
$590 ฿19.9K
516.71%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.8
5.57
-49.73%

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

Last update for Ludvika: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ludvika
$431
Chiang Mai
$309 28.3% $122
Groceries & Markets
Ludvika
$410
Chiang Mai
$234 42.8% $176
Eating Out
Ludvika
$262
Chiang Mai
$78 70.4% $184
Clothing & Footwear
Ludvika
$209
Chiang Mai
$109 48.1% $101
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ludvika
$167
Chiang Mai
$94 43.5% $73
Sport & Entertainment
Ludvika
$64
Chiang Mai
$50 21.5% $14
Getting Around
Ludvika
$24 *
Chiang Mai
$61 160% $38

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Ludvika versus $482 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 in Ludvika are about 6.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65 in Ludvika versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $410 vs $234 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇸🇪 Ludvika
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
10:21 10:21 AM
16:21 4:21 PM
6 h ahead of Ludvika
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
26,343
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 9.82 SEK (1 SEK = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 SEK (100 SEK = 9.13 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ludvika Chiang Mai 7,880 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ludvika
  • 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
Ludvika vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ludvika or Chiang Mai?
Ludvika costs about 67% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ludvika and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,350 per month in Ludvika and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ludvika compared to Chiang Mai?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $455 in Ludvika and $482 in Chiang Mai. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
How do dining costs compare in Ludvika and in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $65 in Ludvika and $19 in Chiang Mai. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Ludvika or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 75% more in Ludvika, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Ludvika or in Chiang Mai?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,567 in Ludvika and $936 in Chiang Mai. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Ludvika or Chiang Mai?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,567 in Ludvika. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Should I move to Ludvika or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ludvika makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Ludvika vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?