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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,773 per month in Solna vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,691 per month in Solna vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,610 per month in Solna vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Solna costs about 105% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Solna sits 32% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.78 SEK 138

$1.94 ฿63.5

661.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.1 SEK 523

$18.64 ฿609

200.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 SEK 97.2

$7.82 ฿255

33.25%

Cappuccino

$5.02 SEK 46.87

$1.95 ฿63.8

157.44%

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

$3.19 SEK 29.81

$0.85 ฿27.77

275.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 SEK 14.10

$0.35 ฿11.58

331.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.63 SEK 71.2

$2.13 ฿69.6

258.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 SEK 75.8

$3.73 ฿122

117.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 SEK 14.53

$1.71 ฿56.0

-8.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 SEK 24.91

$1.63 ฿53.2

63.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.78 SEK 35.24

$1.14 ฿37.15

231.58%

Eggs

$3.92 SEK 36.60

$1.93 ฿63.1

103.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.56 SEK 89.2

$16.21 ฿530

-41.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.28 SEK 115

$3.12 ฿102

293.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.88 SEK 139

$10.90 ฿356

36.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 SEK 15.45

$2.75 ฿90.0

-39.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 SEK 20.13

$1.21 ฿39.52

78.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 SEK 24.28

$1.62 ฿53.0

60.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 SEK 29.74

$1.59 ฿51.8

100.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 14.43

$1.40 ฿45.70

10.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 SEK 19.02

$1.17 ฿38.17

74.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 SEK 21.90

$0.66 ฿21.60

256.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 SEK 10.38

$0.53 ฿17.22

109.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.55 SEK 70.4

$4.69 ฿153

60.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 SEK 138

$18.66 ฿609

-20.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 SEK 13.07

$1.80 ฿58.8

-22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 SEK 8.48

$3.23 ฿106

-71.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.54 SEK 42.40

$0.90 ฿29.26

404.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 SEK 936

$19.21 ฿628

422.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 SEK 35.23

$1.41 ฿45.91

168.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 SEK 14.74

$1.29 ฿42.12

22.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.5 SEK 798

$7.84 ฿256

990.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 SEK 18.26

$1.27 ฿41.58

54.33%

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

$27.2K SEK 253.7K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

27.77%

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

$30.1K SEK 281.2K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

35.67%

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

$109 SEK 1,014

$69.1 ฿2,256

57.41%

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

$28.80 SEK 269

$14.08 ฿460

104.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.35 SEK 386

$18.00 ฿588

129.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.03 SEK 439

$41.06 ฿1,341

14.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.68 SEK 240

$6.96 ฿227

268.97%

Cinema Ticket

$15.01 SEK 140

$5.92 ฿193

153.55%

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

$157 SEK 1,467

$299 ฿9,766

-47.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,218 SEK 39.4K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-71.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.5 SEK 873

$54.7 ฿1,787

70.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.46 SEK 396

$26.77 ฿874

58.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 SEK 874

$85.0 ฿2,776

10.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.5 SEK 490

$70.6 ฿2,306

-25.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 SEK 7,841

$428 ฿14.0K

96.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$657 SEK 6,130

$237 ฿7,752

176.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,416 SEK 13.2K

$801 ฿26.2K

76.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SEK 10.2K

$515 ฿16.8K

111.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,167 SEK 66.9K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

262.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,298 SEK 49.4K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

259.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,958 SEK 36.9K

$617 ฿20.2K

540.99%

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 Solna: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $840 in Solna 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.

Salaries run about 541% higher in Solna, 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 $56.0 in Solna versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 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

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

Solna costs about 105% 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 $2,659 per month in Solna 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 $157 per month in Solna 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 32% more in Solna, 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 Solna at $1,773. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Solna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,773 in Solna. 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, Solna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.