Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Marsta and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,657 in Marsta, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Marsta
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Marsta Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Marsta

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,657

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,657 per month in Marsta vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Marsta $1,657
Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $2,563 per month in Marsta vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Marsta $2,563
Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $3,468 per month in Marsta vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Marsta $3,468
Chiang Mai $1,979

Marsta costs about 77% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Marsta sits 22% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.29 SEK 132

$2.24 ฿75.7

493.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.3 SEK 639

$19.00 ฿642

238.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.28 SEK 102

$5.55 ฿188

85.23%

Cappuccino

$4.31 SEK 42.79

$1.67 ฿56.6

158.08%

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

$2.00 SEK 19.90

$0.64 ฿21.56

212.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 SEK 18.15

$0.31 ฿10.32

490.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 SEK 68.4

$2.36 ฿79.6

191.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 SEK 68.9

$3.66 ฿124

89.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SEK 17.04

$1.95 ฿65.8

-11.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 SEK 31.28

$1.44 ฿48.51

118.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.73 SEK 56.9

$1.33 ฿45.07

330.83%

Eggs

$3.67 SEK 36.47

$2.28 ฿77.1

60.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 SEK 132

$16.45 ฿556

-19.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.05 SEK 89.8

$2.78 ฿94.0

225.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.91 SEK 168

$9.31 ฿314

81.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 SEK 29.13

$2.35 ฿79.5

24.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 SEK 26.66

$0.97 ฿32.82

176.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 SEK 20.62

$1.60 ฿53.9

30.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 SEK 36.42

$1.50 ฿50.7

144.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SEK 14.25

$1.28 ฿43.15

11.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 SEK 14.70

$1.10 ฿37.22

34.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 SEK 19.80

$0.71 ฿23.84

180.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 SEK 19.00

$0.49 ฿16.38

289.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.96 SEK 69.2

$4.14 ฿140

68.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.01 SEK 99.4

$17.52 ฿592

-42.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 SEK 19.55

$1.61 ฿54.5

22.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 SEK 21.38

$2.78 ฿94.0

-22.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.39 SEK 33.71

$0.87 ฿29.33

289.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.3 SEK 767

$54.1 ฿1,827

42.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$13.37 SEK 133

$1.16 ฿39.08

1052.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 SEK 20.52

$0.53 ฿17.82

290.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.9 SEK 565

$2.42 ฿81.8

2250.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 SEK 17.57

$1.45 ฿48.93

22.07%

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

$33.7K SEK 334.5K

$21.1K ฿711.2K

59.94%

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

$33.8K SEK 336.1K

$26.9K ฿909.8K

25.60%

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

$61.2 SEK 608

$62.2 ฿2,100

-1.56%

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

$28.72 SEK 285

$12.17 ฿411

135.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.48 SEK 402

$20.12 ฿680

101.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.42 SEK 372

$37.31 ฿1,260

0.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.31 SEK 261

$3.77 ฿127

597.88%

Cinema Ticket

$16.10 SEK 160

$6.49 ฿219

148.07%

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

$219 SEK 2,174

$736 ฿24.9K

-70.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,996 SEK 49.6K

$14.8K ฿498.6K

-66.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 SEK 502

$53.4 ฿1,802

-5.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.77 SEK 296

$24.64 ฿832

20.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 SEK 905

$91.5 ฿3,089

-0.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 SEK 1,020

$71.9 ฿2,429

42.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 SEK 8,049

$482 ฿16.3K

68.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 SEK 6,108

$309 ฿10.4K

99.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 SEK 13.7K

$1,006 ฿34.0K

37.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 SEK 9,991

$633 ฿21.4K

58.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,040 SEK 40.1K

$2,363 ฿79.8K

70.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,789 SEK 27.7K

$1,589 ฿53.7K

75.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,609 SEK 45.8K

$590 ฿19.9K

681.55%

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 Marsta: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Marsta

$615 37.1%

Chiang Mai

$309 33% 49.8% $306

Groceries & Markets

Marsta

$352 21.2%

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1% 33.4% $117

Eating Out

Marsta

$252 15.2%

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3% 69.3% $175

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Marsta

$130 7.9%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1% 27.6% $36

Clothing & Footwear

Marsta

$123 7.5%

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6% 12% $15

Getting Around

Marsta

$115 6.9%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 46.4% $53

Sport & Entertainment

Marsta

$70 4.2%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 27.8% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $811 in Marsta 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 Marsta are about 7.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64 in Marsta versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $234 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇸🇪 Marsta

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

23:08 11:08 PM

05:08 5:08 AM

6 h ahead of Marsta

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,068

127,240

💱 Currency

Swedish Krona SEK kr

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 SEK = 10.07 USD

100 SEK = 9.05 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇪 Swedish Krona (kr)

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 9.93 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.06 SEK (100 SEK = 9.05 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to SEK in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Marsta Chiang Mai 7,720 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Marsta
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

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

Marsta costs about 77% 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,486 per month in Marsta and $1,403 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $811 in Marsta.

Kindergarten costs $219 per month in Marsta and $736 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Marsta, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,657 in Marsta and $936 in Chiang Mai. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,657 in Marsta. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Marsta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.