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 $1,802 per month in Ostersund vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,847 per month in Ostersund vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,892 per month in Ostersund vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ostersund costs about 108% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ostersund sits 34% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.38 SEK 125

$1.94 ฿63.5

589.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.5 SEK 677

$18.64 ฿609

289.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.76 SEK 100

$7.82 ฿255

37.60%

Cappuccino

$4.70 SEK 43.81

$1.95 ฿63.8

141.03%

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

$2.82 SEK 26.29

$0.85 ฿27.77

231.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SEK 22.49

$0.35 ฿11.58

588.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.59 SEK 70.8

$2.13 ฿69.6

256.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.83 SEK 73.1

$3.73 ฿122

109.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 SEK 14.58

$1.71 ฿56.0

-8.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 SEK 28.45

$1.63 ฿53.2

87.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.90 SEK 45.74

$1.14 ฿37.15

329.82%

Eggs

$3.59 SEK 33.50

$1.93 ฿63.1

86.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.51 SEK 135

$16.21 ฿530

-10.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.72 SEK 109

$3.12 ฿102

275.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.19 SEK 151

$10.90 ฿356

48.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 SEK 42.24

$2.75 ฿90.0

64.73%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 SEK 28.80

$1.21 ฿39.52

155.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 SEK 33.95

$1.62 ฿53.0

124.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 SEK 38.63

$1.59 ฿51.8

160.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.73 SEK 34.77

$1.40 ฿45.70

166.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 SEK 16.61

$1.17 ฿38.17

52.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 SEK 23.36

$0.66 ฿21.60

278.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 SEK 14.09

$0.53 ฿17.22

184.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.21 SEK 76.6

$4.69 ฿153

75.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.85 SEK 101

$18.66 ฿609

-41.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 SEK 17.82

$1.80 ฿58.8

6.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 SEK 18.18

$3.23 ฿106

-39.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.44 SEK 32.07

$0.90 ฿29.26

282.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.1 SEK 691

$19.21 ฿628

285.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 SEK 60.0

$1.41 ฿45.91

356.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SEK 15.34

$1.29 ฿42.12

27.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.1 SEK 579

$7.84 ฿256

691.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 SEK 19.51

$1.27 ฿41.58

64.57%

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

$33.0K SEK 308.4K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

55.32%

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

$34.4K SEK 320.6K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

54.71%

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

$114 SEK 1,067

$69.1 ฿2,256

65.53%

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

$28.69 SEK 268

$14.08 ฿460

103.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.81 SEK 343

$18.00 ฿588

104.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.30 SEK 385

$41.06 ฿1,341

0.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.71 SEK 240

$6.96 ฿227

269.40%

Cinema Ticket

$15.52 SEK 145

$5.92 ฿193

162.16%

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

$132 SEK 1,233

$299 ฿9,766

-55.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,119 SEK 38.4K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-72.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.1 SEK 878

$54.7 ฿1,787

72.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.96 SEK 382

$26.77 ฿874

53.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 SEK 924

$85.0 ฿2,776

16.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 SEK 1,413

$70.6 ฿2,306

114.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$831 SEK 7,756

$428 ฿14.0K

94.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 SEK 6,113

$237 ฿7,752

176.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 SEK 13.0K

$801 ฿26.2K

73.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,097 SEK 10.2K

$515 ฿16.8K

112.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,366 SEK 40.7K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

121.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,010 SEK 28.1K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

104.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $831 in Ostersund versus $428 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $246 – 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 108% 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 $2,703 per month in Ostersund and $1,300 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 $132 per month in Ostersund and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% 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 $866, than in Ostersund at $1,802. 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 $866 versus $1,802 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.