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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,059 per month in Skelleftea vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,107 per month in Skelleftea vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,155 per month in Skelleftea vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Skelleftea costs about 121% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Skelleftea sits 50% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.77 SEK 165

$2.08 ฿69.5

706.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.2 SEK 820

$19.61 ฿655

324.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.62 SEK 134

$5.67 ฿189

140.21%

Cappuccino

$4.85 SEK 47.76

$1.81 ฿60.3

167.96%

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

$2.74 SEK 27.02

$0.77 ฿25.65

255.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 SEK 22.55

$0.35 ฿11.53

554.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.51 SEK 83.8

$2.21 ฿73.9

285.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.35 SEK 82.3

$3.79 ฿127

120.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 SEK 16.31

$2.05 ฿68.4

-19.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 SEK 26.04

$1.51 ฿50.6

74.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.15 SEK 50.8

$1.40 ฿46.69

267.86%

Eggs

$5.11 SEK 50.4

$2.26 ฿75.4

126.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.46 SEK 113

$16.19 ฿540

-29.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.45 SEK 113

$2.90 ฿96.7

294.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.84 SEK 245

$9.42 ฿314

163.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 SEK 32.87

$2.68 ฿89.4

24.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 SEK 24.27

$1.09 ฿36.37

125.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 SEK 32.71

$1.62 ฿54.0

104.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 SEK 36.62

$1.46 ฿48.74

154.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 SEK 23.82

$1.28 ฿42.65

89.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 SEK 16.47

$1.06 ฿35.31

57.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 SEK 23.30

$0.72 ฿23.94

227.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 SEK 15.96

$0.53 ฿17.56

205.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.47 SEK 73.6

$4.23 ฿141

76.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.87 SEK 156

$18.29 ฿611

-13.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 SEK 17.69

$1.63 ฿54.4

10.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 SEK 16.98

$2.90 ฿96.8

-40.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 SEK 29.40

$0.88 ฿29.32

238.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 SEK 531

$53.8 ฿1,795

0.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.31 SEK 81.8

$1.17 ฿39.14

610.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 SEK 17.50

$0.58 ฿19.30

206.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.2 SEK 613

$2.39 ฿79.6

2503.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 SEK 17.22

$1.45 ฿48.41

20.69%

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

$33.8K SEK 333.2K

$21.0K ฿701.4K

60.93%

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

$33.5K SEK 330.3K

$26.4K ฿882.0K

26.85%

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

$106 SEK 1,047

$63.7 ฿2,125

66.90%

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

$34.88 SEK 344

$12.89 ฿430

170.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.5 SEK 517

$20.52 ฿685

155.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.78 SEK 382

$39.02 ฿1,302

-0.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.42 SEK 260

$3.92 ฿131

573.98%

Cinema Ticket

$15.91 SEK 157

$6.58 ฿220

141.79%

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

$150 SEK 1,483

$784 ฿26.2K

-80.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,720 SEK 56.4K

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-61.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.9 SEK 945

$55.1 ฿1,840

73.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.84 SEK 432

$24.74 ฿826

77.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 SEK 828

$94.1 ฿3,142

-10.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 SEK 1,570

$74.0 ฿2,469

115.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 SEK 11.9K

$490 ฿16.4K

145.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$839 SEK 8,267

$288 ฿9,620

191.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,679 SEK 16.5K

$891 ฿29.8K

88.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 SEK 12.6K

$521 ฿17.4K

144.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,217 SEK 41.6K

$1,974 ฿65.9K

113.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,888 SEK 28.5K

$1,444 ฿48.2K

99.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,640 SEK 26.0K

$602 ฿20.1K

338.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.9

5.57

-29.98%

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

Last update for Skelleftea: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,203 in Skelleftea versus $490 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 339% higher in Skelleftea, 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 $83.0 in Skelleftea versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $397 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

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

Skelleftea costs about 121% 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 $3,088 per month in Skelleftea and $1,398 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 $150 per month in Skelleftea and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 65% more in Skelleftea, 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 $932, than in Skelleftea at $2,059. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skelleftea it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $2,059 in Skelleftea. 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, Skelleftea makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.