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 $1,750 per month in Marsta vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,757 per month in Marsta vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,764 per month in Marsta vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Marsta costs about 101% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Marsta sits 30% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.33 SEK 125

$1.98 ฿64.3

573.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.3 SEK 631

$18.80 ฿612

257.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.69 SEK 100

$7.75 ฿252

37.94%

Cappuccino

$4.70 SEK 44.09

$1.92 ฿62.5

144.79%

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

$2.14 SEK 20.07

$0.79 ฿25.79

170.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 SEK 17.60

$0.36 ฿11.62

422.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.29 SEK 68.4

$2.21 ฿72.1

229.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.21 SEK 67.6

$3.66 ฿119

96.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 SEK 17.39

$1.65 ฿53.8

12.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 SEK 29.64

$1.63 ฿53.2

93.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 SEK 37.34

$1.19 ฿38.86

234.45%

Eggs

$3.76 SEK 35.25

$2.00 ฿65.1

88.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.19 SEK 133

$15.98 ฿520

-11.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 SEK 91.3

$3.03 ฿98.5

221.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.83 SEK 149

$10.86 ฿354

45.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 SEK 32.99

$2.76 ฿90.0

27.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 SEK 24.15

$1.18 ฿38.42

117.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 SEK 30.14

$1.64 ฿53.5

95.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 SEK 36.27

$1.52 ฿49.51

154.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 14.52

$1.38 ฿45.10

12.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 SEK 15.19

$1.19 ฿38.84

36.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.68 SEK 25.16

$0.70 ฿22.86

282.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SEK 16.33

$0.56 ฿18.13

210.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.30 SEK 68.5

$4.58 ฿149

59.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.65 SEK 99.9

$16.56 ฿539

-35.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SEK 16.08

$1.83 ฿59.5

-6.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 SEK 17.90

$3.20 ฿104

-40.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.25 SEK 39.86

$0.88 ฿28.56

382.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.1 SEK 929

$18.72 ฿610

429.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.07 SEK 113

$1.36 ฿44.16

787.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SEK 15.42

$1.34 ฿43.65

22.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.6 SEK 549

$7.84 ฿256

647.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 SEK 18.60

$1.23 ฿39.92

60.98%

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

$32.7K SEK 306.4K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

51.04%

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

$34.4K SEK 323.2K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

52.79%

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

$88.8 SEK 833

$70.5 ฿2,298

25.94%

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

$27.88 SEK 262

$13.68 ฿445

103.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.73 SEK 345

$17.45 ฿568

110.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.68 SEK 269

$41.33 ฿1,346

-30.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.49 SEK 239

$6.96 ฿227

266.24%

Cinema Ticket

$15.77 SEK 148

$5.77 ฿188

173.31%

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

$145 SEK 1,358

$307 ฿10.0K

-52.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$746 SEK 6,999

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-94.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.4 SEK 735

$55.8 ฿1,817

40.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.16 SEK 405

$26.21 ฿854

64.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 SEK 936

$85.8 ฿2,793

16.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 SEK 1,001

$72.2 ฿2,353

47.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$831 SEK 7,800

$430 ฿14.0K

93.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$644 SEK 6,036

$239 ฿7,774

169.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 SEK 13.3K

$817 ฿26.6K

73.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 SEK 10.1K

$511 ฿16.6K

111.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,574 SEK 42.9K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

130.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,555 SEK 24.0K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

72.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,884 SEK 45.8K

$619 ฿20.2K

689.32%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $831 in Marsta versus $430 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 689% 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 $67.0 in Marsta versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $358 vs $241 – 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 101% 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 $2,625 per month in Marsta and $1,303 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 $145 per month in Marsta and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% 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 $869, than in Marsta at $1,750. 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 $869 versus $1,750 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.