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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,859 per month in Ostersund vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,859 per month in Ostersund vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,860 per month in Ostersund vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ostersund costs about 116% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ostersund sits 39% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.60 SEK 131

$1.96 ฿65.7

593.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 SEK 703

$18.35 ฿616

297.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.34 SEK 99.7

$7.48 ฿251

38.24%

Cappuccino

$4.74 SEK 45.66

$2.02 ฿67.7

134.65%

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

$2.81 SEK 27.09

$0.85 ฿28.45

230.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 SEK 24.09

$0.36 ฿11.94

594.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 SEK 75.9

$2.14 ฿71.7

268.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.80 SEK 75.2

$3.59 ฿121

117.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 SEK 14.38

$1.65 ฿55.4

-9.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 SEK 29.02

$1.57 ฿52.6

91.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.99 SEK 48.09

$1.19 ฿39.95

319.33%

Eggs

$3.43 SEK 33.08

$1.94 ฿65.0

76.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.39 SEK 139

$16.19 ฿544

-11.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.77 SEK 113

$2.99 ฿100

293.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.76 SEK 152

$10.94 ฿367

44.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 SEK 43.99

$2.71 ฿91.0

68.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 SEK 28.62

$1.17 ฿39.18

153.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.67 SEK 35.37

$1.69 ฿56.6

117.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 SEK 39.72

$1.60 ฿53.9

157.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.77 SEK 36.29

$1.38 ฿46.45

173.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 SEK 17.55

$1.20 ฿40.38

51.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 SEK 24.40

$0.67 ฿22.46

277.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 SEK 15.18

$0.56 ฿18.70

182.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.13 SEK 78.4

$4.64 ฿156

75.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.10 SEK 97.3

$17.62 ฿591

-42.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 SEK 18.90

$1.86 ฿62.4

5.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SEK 18.22

$3.30 ฿111

-42.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 SEK 31.66

$0.88 ฿29.63

273.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.3 SEK 716

$19.34 ฿649

283.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 SEK 60.0

$1.36 ฿45.82

357.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 SEK 15.37

$1.34 ฿44.90

18.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.0 SEK 607

$8.21 ฿276

667.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 SEK 19.32

$1.22 ฿41.11

64.75%

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

$32.3K SEK 311.0K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

51.14%

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

$33.7K SEK 324.4K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

49.44%

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

$115 SEK 1,110

$70.7 ฿2,372

63.03%

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

$28.32 SEK 273

$14.04 ฿471

101.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.23 SEK 349

$17.49 ฿587

107.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.03 SEK 386

$42.15 ฿1,415

-5.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.78 SEK 248

$6.88 ฿231

274.71%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 SEK 151

$5.92 ฿199

165.37%

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

$129 SEK 1,244

$309 ฿10.4K

-58.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,166 SEK 40.1K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-72.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.0 SEK 905

$55.8 ฿1,872

68.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.25 SEK 388

$26.11 ฿877

54.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.3 SEK 947

$83.0 ฿2,787

18.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 SEK 1,448

$70.5 ฿2,365

113.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 SEK 8,091

$432 ฿14.5K

94.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$645 SEK 6,214

$239 ฿8,020

169.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,387 SEK 13.4K

$822 ฿27.6K

68.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 SEK 10.3K

$512 ฿17.2K

107.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,780 SEK 36.4K

$1,915 ฿64.3K

97.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,856 SEK 27.5K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

94.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

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 Ostersund: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $840 in Ostersund versus $432 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Ostersund versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $243 – 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

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

Ostersund costs about 116% 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 $2,788 per month in Ostersund and $1,292 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 $129 per month in Ostersund and $309 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 Ostersund, 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 $861, than in Ostersund at $1,859. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ostersund it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,859 in Ostersund. 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, Ostersund makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.