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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,790 per month in Marsta vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,746 per month in Marsta vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Marsta vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Marsta costs about 110% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Marsta sits 34% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.37 SEK 129

$2.04 ฿68.4

555.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.6 SEK 671

$18.71 ฿626

272.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.39 SEK 100

$7.86 ฿263

32.19%

Cappuccino

$4.46 SEK 43.02

$2.03 ฿67.9

119.70%

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

$2.10 SEK 20.22

$0.80 ฿26.71

162.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 SEK 18.07

$0.35 ฿11.71

434.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.29 SEK 70.2

$2.14 ฿71.7

240.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.53 SEK 72.6

$3.67 ฿123

105.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 SEK 17.31

$1.73 ฿57.8

4.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 SEK 29.63

$1.57 ฿52.5

95.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.02 SEK 38.79

$1.20 ฿40.10

235.00%

Eggs

$3.69 SEK 35.58

$1.97 ฿66.0

87.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.91 SEK 134

$16.23 ฿543

-14.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 SEK 92.2

$3.06 ฿102

212.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 SEK 154

$10.80 ฿361

47.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 SEK 34.76

$2.77 ฿92.6

30.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 SEK 26.05

$1.17 ฿39.05

130.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 SEK 30.64

$1.71 ฿57.1

85.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 SEK 37.36

$1.59 ฿53.3

143.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 SEK 14.53

$1.39 ฿46.63

8.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 SEK 15.43

$1.16 ฿38.67

37.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 SEK 26.52

$0.66 ฿22.11

316.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SEK 16.81

$0.52 ฿17.35

234.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.48 SEK 72.1

$4.65 ฿155

60.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.31 SEK 99.4

$17.78 ฿595

-42.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SEK 16.38

$1.79 ฿59.8

-5.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SEK 19.05

$3.34 ฿112

-40.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.26 SEK 41.10

$0.91 ฿30.35

368.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 SEK 985

$18.64 ฿624

448.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.06 SEK 116

$1.41 ฿47.17

755.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SEK 15.80

$1.34 ฿44.82

22.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.9 SEK 568

$8.11 ฿271

626.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 SEK 18.37

$1.23 ฿41.27

55.28%

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

$33.0K SEK 318.4K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

54.08%

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

$34.4K SEK 332.0K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

57.80%

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

$88.4 SEK 852

$71.3 ฿2,386

23.87%

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

$27.99 SEK 270

$14.01 ฿469

99.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.99 SEK 347

$17.93 ฿600

100.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.76 SEK 277

$40.82 ฿1,365

-29.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.60 SEK 247

$6.88 ฿230

272.09%

Cinema Ticket

$15.86 SEK 153

$5.72 ฿191

177.27%

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

$143 SEK 1,383

$308 ฿10.3K

-53.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$726 SEK 7,000

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-95.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.0 SEK 772

$55.8 ฿1,865

43.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.89 SEK 423

$26.04 ฿871

68.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 SEK 949

$84.8 ฿2,837

16.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 SEK 1,032

$71.0 ฿2,375

50.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 SEK 8,131

$423 ฿14.2K

99.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 SEK 6,294

$242 ฿8,110

169.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,398 SEK 13.5K

$797 ฿26.7K

75.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,088 SEK 10.5K

$507 ฿17.0K

114.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,464 SEK 43.0K

$1,918 ฿64.2K

132.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,186 SEK 30.7K

$1,464 ฿49.0K

117.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,806 SEK 46.3K

$595 ฿19.9K

707.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

-9.40%

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

Last update for Marsta: July 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $843 in Marsta versus $423 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 708% higher in Marsta, 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 $70.0 in Marsta versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 vs $244 – 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

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

Marsta costs about 110% 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 $2,685 per month in Marsta and $1,279 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 $143 per month in Marsta and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Marsta, 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 Marsta at $1,790. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Marsta it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,790 in Marsta. 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, Marsta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.