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 $1,828 per month in Solna vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,821 per month in Solna vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,815 per month in Solna vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Solna costs about 93% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Solna sits 33% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.58 SEK 140

$2.08 ฿69.2

600.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 SEK 669

$19.64 ฿651

253.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 SEK 114

$5.65 ฿188

109.91%

Cappuccino

$5.21 SEK 50.2

$1.81 ฿59.9

187.85%

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

$2.38 SEK 22.96

$0.71 ฿23.66

235.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 SEK 14.88

$0.32 ฿10.48

381.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.67 SEK 73.8

$2.24 ฿74.2

242.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.76 SEK 74.7

$3.63 ฿121

113.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 SEK 14.58

$1.96 ฿65.0

-22.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 SEK 25.75

$1.50 ฿49.83

78.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 SEK 36.27

$1.34 ฿44.32

181.34%

Eggs

$4.25 SEK 40.94

$2.26 ฿75.1

88.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 SEK 89.1

$16.26 ฿539

-43.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.43 SEK 129

$2.95 ฿98.0

355.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.66 SEK 228

$9.94 ฿330

138.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 SEK 32.48

$2.57 ฿85.3

31.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 SEK 20.06

$1.06 ฿35.04

96.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 SEK 25.58

$1.61 ฿53.5

65.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.09 SEK 29.77

$1.52 ฿50.4

103.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 SEK 15.37

$1.27 ฿42.14

25.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 SEK 18.85

$1.07 ฿35.37

83.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 SEK 22.31

$0.72 ฿23.89

222.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 SEK 10.41

$0.51 ฿16.87

111.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.02 SEK 77.2

$4.19 ฿139

91.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.41 SEK 120

$17.87 ฿593

-30.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 SEK 13.39

$1.69 ฿56.2

-17.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SEK 21.60

$2.84 ฿94.1

-21.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.29 SEK 41.31

$0.93 ฿30.70

361.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 SEK 989

$53.9 ฿1,787

90.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 SEK 35.03

$1.23 ฿40.95

195.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 SEK 28.49

$0.58 ฿19.13

410.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.5 SEK 823

$2.42 ฿80.4

3433.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 18.47

$1.41 ฿46.84

36.17%

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

$34.3K SEK 330.1K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

59.85%

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

$33.6K SEK 323.7K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

22.94%

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

$112 SEK 1,075

$63.7 ฿2,112

75.28%

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

$23.29 SEK 224

$12.85 ฿426

81.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.47 SEK 409

$20.22 ฿671

110.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.37 SEK 379

$38.74 ฿1,285

1.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.64 SEK 257

$3.97 ฿132

571.03%

Cinema Ticket

$15.18 SEK 146

$6.74 ฿223

125.22%

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

$159 SEK 1,529

$778 ฿25.8K

-79.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,239 SEK 50.5K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-64.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 SEK 1,069

$54.3 ฿1,801

104.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.10 SEK 405

$25.45 ฿844

65.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 SEK 879

$94.3 ฿3,129

-3.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 SEK 1,385

$73.4 ฿2,436

95.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 SEK 8,039

$490 ฿16.2K

70.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 SEK 5,897

$289 ฿9,596

111.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,428 SEK 13.7K

$894 ฿29.6K

59.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,070 SEK 10.3K

$517 ฿17.1K

107.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,162 SEK 69.0K

$1,955 ฿64.9K

266.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,005 SEK 28.9K

$1,477 ฿49.0K

103.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,932 SEK 37.9K

$602 ฿20.0K

552.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.53

5.57

-36.62%

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

Last update for Solna: September 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $835 in Solna 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 553% 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 $69.0 in Solna versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $240 – 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 93% 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 $2,741 per month in Solna and $1,421 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 $159 per month in Solna and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% 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 $947, than in Solna at $1,828. 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 $947 versus $1,828 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.