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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,874 per month in Skovde vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,858 per month in Skovde vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,841 per month in Skovde vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

Skovde sits 39% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.62 SEK 147

$1.98 ฿64.3

688.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 SEK 650

$18.80 ฿612

268.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.64 SEK 109

$7.75 ฿252

50.19%

Cappuccino

$4.82 SEK 45.23

$1.92 ฿62.5

151.04%

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

$2.67 SEK 25.01

$0.79 ฿25.79

237.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SEK 21.00

$0.36 ฿11.62

522.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.63 SEK 81.0

$2.21 ฿72.1

290.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.48 SEK 79.6

$3.66 ฿119

131.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 SEK 14.92

$1.65 ฿53.8

-3.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 SEK 25.69

$1.63 ฿53.2

68.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.49 SEK 42.11

$1.19 ฿38.86

277.31%

Eggs

$5.13 SEK 48.14

$2.00 ฿65.1

156.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.23 SEK 115

$15.98 ฿520

-23.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.80 SEK 129

$3.03 ฿98.5

355.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.33 SEK 163

$10.86 ฿354

59.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 SEK 35.25

$2.76 ฿90.0

36.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 SEK 25.85

$1.18 ฿38.42

133.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.56 SEK 33.41

$1.64 ฿53.5

117.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.14 SEK 48.24

$1.52 ฿49.51

238.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 SEK 15.54

$1.38 ฿45.10

20.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 SEK 16.60

$1.19 ฿38.84

48.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 SEK 25.65

$0.70 ฿22.86

290.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 SEK 12.41

$0.56 ฿18.13

135.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.98 SEK 74.8

$4.58 ฿149

74.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 SEK 77.2

$16.56 ฿539

-50.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 SEK 23.52

$1.83 ฿59.5

37.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 SEK 24.19

$3.20 ฿104

-19.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.78 SEK 35.51

$0.88 ฿28.56

329.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.9 SEK 693

$18.72 ฿610

294.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.73 SEK 53.7

$1.36 ฿44.16

321.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 SEK 15.57

$1.34 ฿43.65

23.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.4 SEK 614

$7.84 ฿256

734.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 18.03

$1.23 ฿39.92

56.10%

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

$32.6K SEK 305.8K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

50.75%

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

$33.6K SEK 315.5K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

49.16%

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

$111 SEK 1,043

$70.5 ฿2,298

57.66%

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

$29.32 SEK 275

$13.68 ฿445

114.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.82 SEK 411

$17.45 ฿568

151.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.41 SEK 379

$41.33 ฿1,346

-2.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.05 SEK 235

$6.96 ฿227

259.91%

Cinema Ticket

$20.23 SEK 190

$5.77 ฿188

250.61%

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

$147 SEK 1,375

$307 ฿10.0K

-52.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,637 SEK 52.9K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-61.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.4 SEK 829

$55.8 ฿1,817

58.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.38 SEK 388

$26.21 ฿854

57.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 SEK 929

$85.8 ฿2,793

15.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 SEK 1,482

$72.2 ฿2,353

118.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$853 SEK 8,004

$430 ฿14.0K

98.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 SEK 6,216

$239 ฿7,774

177.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 SEK 13.1K

$817 ฿26.6K

71.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 SEK 10.2K

$511 ฿16.6K

112.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,237 SEK 39.7K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

113.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,910 SEK 27.3K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

96.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,432 SEK 32.2K

$619 ฿20.2K

454.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

-4.00%

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

Last update for Skovde: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $853 in Skovde 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 455% higher in Skovde, 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 Skovde versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $384 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

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

Skovde 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 $2,812 per month in Skovde 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 $147 per month in Skovde 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 59% more in Skovde, 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 Skovde at $1,874. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skovde it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,874 in Skovde. 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, Skovde makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.