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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,854 per month in Lund vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,027 per month in Lund vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,201 per month in Lund vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Lund costs about 96% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lund sits 35% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.54 SEK 129

$2.08 ฿68.5

550.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.6 SEK 904

$19.64 ฿646

381.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.34 SEK 118

$5.65 ฿186

118.41%

Cappuccino

$4.79 SEK 45.84

$1.81 ฿59.3

164.64%

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

$2.78 SEK 26.61

$0.71 ฿23.44

291.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 SEK 20.30

$0.32 ฿10.38

562.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 SEK 77.7

$2.24 ฿73.5

262.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.51 SEK 71.9

$3.63 ฿119

106.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 SEK 16.56

$1.96 ฿64.4

-11.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 SEK 26.22

$1.50 ฿49.38

82.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 SEK 36.05

$1.34 ฿43.92

181.34%

Eggs

$4.58 SEK 43.82

$2.26 ฿74.4

102.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.16 SEK 126

$16.26 ฿534

-19.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.10 SEK 116

$2.95 ฿97.1

310.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.47 SEK 167

$9.94 ฿327

75.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 SEK 30.07

$2.57 ฿84.5

22.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 SEK 28.53

$1.06 ฿34.72

181.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 SEK 28.36

$1.61 ฿53.0

84.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 SEK 46.12

$1.52 ฿49.96

217.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 SEK 17.81

$1.27 ฿41.76

46.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 SEK 13.72

$1.07 ฿35.05

33.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 SEK 26.63

$0.72 ฿23.67

286.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 SEK 14.55

$0.51 ฿16.72

198.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.29 SEK 79.3

$4.19 ฿138

97.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.62 SEK 111

$17.87 ฿587

-34.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 SEK 19.08

$1.69 ฿55.7

17.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 SEK 26.43

$2.84 ฿93.2

-2.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.25 SEK 31.12

$0.93 ฿30.42

249.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.2 SEK 633

$53.9 ฿1,770

22.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 SEK 51.3

$1.23 ฿40.58

335.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 SEK 11.05

$0.58 ฿18.96

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.94 SEK 411

$2.42 ฿79.7

1674.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 SEK 17.90

$1.41 ฿46.42

32.62%

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

$35.0K SEK 334.6K

$21.4K ฿704.9K

63.13%

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

$33.9K SEK 324.3K

$27.3K ฿898.5K

24.04%

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

$82.2 SEK 786

$63.7 ฿2,093

29.10%

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

$32.06 SEK 307

$12.85 ฿423

149.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.65 SEK 418

$20.22 ฿665

115.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.47 SEK 368

$38.74 ฿1,274

-0.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.42 SEK 272

$3.97 ฿130

615.87%

Cinema Ticket

$15.94 SEK 152

$6.74 ฿221

136.50%

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

$167 SEK 1,599

$778 ฿25.6K

-78.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.8 SEK 811

$54.3 ฿1,785

56.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 SEK 580

$25.45 ฿836

138.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SEK 1,010

$94.3 ฿3,101

11.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 SEK 1,244

$73.4 ฿2,414

77.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$870 SEK 8,322

$490 ฿16.1K

77.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 SEK 6,843

$289 ฿9,510

147.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,824 SEK 17.4K

$894 ฿29.4K

104.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,449 SEK 13.9K

$517 ฿17.0K

180.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,563 SEK 62.8K

$1,955 ฿64.3K

235.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,707 SEK 35.5K

$1,477 ฿48.5K

150.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,096 SEK 29.6K

$602 ฿19.8K

414.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.03

5.57

-45.60%

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

Last update for Lund: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $870 in Lund 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 414% higher in Lund, 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 $95.0 in Lund versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $377 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

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

Lund costs about 96% 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 $2,780 per month in Lund 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 $167 per month in Lund 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 57% more in Lund, 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 Lund at $1,854. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lund it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,854 in Lund. 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, Lund makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.