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 $1,668 per month in Marsta vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,648 per month in Marsta vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,628 per month in Marsta vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Marsta costs about 75% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Marsta sits 21% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.43 SEK 130

$2.10 ฿69.3

539.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.0 SEK 669

$19.84 ฿656

247.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 SEK 103

$5.79 ฿191

83.07%

Cappuccino

$4.59 SEK 44.45

$1.83 ฿60.4

150.82%

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

$2.06 SEK 19.94

$0.78 ฿25.61

164.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 SEK 18.07

$0.31 ฿10.37

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 SEK 69.8

$2.34 ฿77.2

207.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.36 SEK 71.4

$3.70 ฿122

98.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 SEK 17.17

$2.03 ฿67.1

-12.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 SEK 31.19

$1.60 ฿52.7

101.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.44 SEK 52.8

$1.42 ฿46.75

283.10%

Eggs

$3.69 SEK 35.79

$2.18 ฿71.9

69.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.95 SEK 135

$15.91 ฿526

-12.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.55 SEK 92.6

$3.07 ฿102

211.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.03 SEK 175

$9.87 ฿326

82.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 SEK 29.78

$2.63 ฿86.8

16.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 SEK 26.22

$1.10 ฿36.19

145.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 SEK 19.84

$1.63 ฿53.8

25.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.76 SEK 36.43

$1.53 ฿50.6

145.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 SEK 14.48

$1.24 ฿41.13

20.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 SEK 14.89

$1.13 ฿37.37

36.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 SEK 20.34

$0.74 ฿24.38

183.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 SEK 18.98

$0.50 ฿16.48

292.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 SEK 69.3

$4.28 ฿141

66.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.36 SEK 100

$17.97 ฿594

-42.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 SEK 19.50

$1.70 ฿56.1

18.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 SEK 21.53

$2.90 ฿95.7

-23.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.48 SEK 33.78

$0.94 ฿31.13

270.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.8 SEK 764

$55.3 ฿1,827

42.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$13.78 SEK 134

$1.23 ฿40.76

1020.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 SEK 20.66

$0.53 ฿17.66

301.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.3 SEK 575

$2.40 ฿79.3

2370.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 SEK 17.45

$1.44 ฿47.55

25.00%

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

$34.5K SEK 334.4K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

62.77%

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

$34.6K SEK 335.5K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

26.76%

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

$62.3 SEK 604

$64.9 ฿2,145

-4.10%

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

$26.80 SEK 260

$13.35 ฿441

100.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.31 SEK 401

$20.83 ฿688

98.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.29 SEK 381

$40.42 ฿1,336

-2.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.41 SEK 227

$3.95 ฿131

492.66%

Cinema Ticket

$16.88 SEK 164

$6.71 ฿222

151.56%

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

$226 SEK 2,188

$787 ฿26.0K

-71.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 SEK 50.5K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-65.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 SEK 497

$56.2 ฿1,858

-8.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.35 SEK 304

$24.95 ฿824

25.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 SEK 891

$92.7 ฿3,063

-0.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SEK 1,008

$75.1 ฿2,482

38.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 SEK 7,722

$484 ฿16.0K

64.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$574 SEK 5,565

$287 ฿9,491

99.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,420 SEK 13.8K

$910 ฿30.1K

56.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 SEK 10.8K

$531 ฿17.5K

110.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,347 SEK 42.1K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

119.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,578 SEK 25.0K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

77.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,840 SEK 46.9K

$605 ฿20.0K

699.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.2

5.57

-42.55%

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

Last update for Marsta: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $797 in Marsta versus $484 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 700% 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 $69.0 in Marsta versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $242 – 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 75% 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 $2,502 per month in Marsta and $1,426 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 $226 per month in Marsta and $787 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 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 $950, than in Marsta at $1,668. 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 $950 versus $1,668 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.