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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,582 per month in Stockholm vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,840 per month in Stockholm vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,098 per month in Stockholm vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Stockholm costs about 200% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Stockholm sits 93% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.09 SEK 155

$1.96 ฿65.7

720.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 SEK 1,062

$18.35 ฿616

500.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 SEK 113

$7.48 ฿251

56.15%

Cappuccino

$5.20 SEK 50.1

$2.02 ฿67.7

157.43%

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

$3.28 SEK 31.64

$0.85 ฿28.45

285.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SEK 23.78

$0.36 ฿11.94

586.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.51 SEK 82.0

$2.14 ฿71.7

297.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.31 SEK 80.1

$3.59 ฿121

131.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 SEK 17.33

$1.65 ฿55.4

9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 SEK 32.84

$1.57 ฿52.6

117.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.07 SEK 39.19

$1.19 ฿39.95

242.02%

Eggs

$4.70 SEK 45.33

$1.94 ฿65.0

142.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.77 SEK 123

$16.19 ฿544

-21.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.23 SEK 127

$2.99 ฿100

342.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.40 SEK 187

$10.94 ฿367

77.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 SEK 34.66

$2.71 ฿91.0

32.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 SEK 27.93

$1.17 ฿39.18

147.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 SEK 32.54

$1.69 ฿56.6

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 SEK 44.21

$1.60 ฿53.9

186.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 SEK 18.92

$1.38 ฿46.45

42.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 SEK 18.17

$1.20 ฿40.38

57.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 SEK 24.24

$0.67 ฿22.46

276.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SEK 15.55

$0.56 ฿18.70

187.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.06 SEK 77.7

$4.64 ฿156

73.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.53 SEK 121

$17.62 ฿591

-28.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 SEK 21.08

$1.86 ฿62.4

17.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 SEK 22.76

$3.30 ฿111

-28.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.55 SEK 43.89

$0.88 ฿29.63

417.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 SEK 1,080

$19.34 ฿649

479.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.40 SEK 61.7

$1.36 ฿45.82

370.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 SEK 15.95

$1.34 ฿44.90

23.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.3 SEK 610

$8.21 ฿276

670.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 SEK 17.92

$1.22 ฿41.11

52.46%

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

$33.0K SEK 318.3K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

54.71%

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

$34.5K SEK 332.9K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

53.32%

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

$227 SEK 2,189

$70.7 ฿2,372

221.48%

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

$29.59 SEK 285

$14.04 ฿471

110.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.03 SEK 405

$17.49 ฿587

140.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.01 SEK 443

$42.15 ฿1,415

9.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.09 SEK 367

$6.88 ฿231

453.63%

Cinema Ticket

$17.78 SEK 171

$5.92 ฿199

200.34%

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

$164 SEK 1,582

$309 ฿10.4K

-46.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,573 SEK 63.3K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-55.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.6 SEK 941

$55.8 ฿1,872

75.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.76 SEK 480

$26.11 ฿877

90.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 SEK 1,159

$83.0 ฿2,787

44.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 SEK 1,945

$70.5 ฿2,365

186.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,566 SEK 15.1K

$432 ฿14.5K

262.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 SEK 10.5K

$239 ฿8,020

354.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,754 SEK 26.5K

$822 ฿27.6K

234.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,801 SEK 17.4K

$512 ฿17.2K

251.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.8K SEK 113.3K

$1,915 ฿64.3K

514.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,496 SEK 62.6K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

342.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,643 SEK 35.1K

$579 ฿19.4K

528.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

-16.80%

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

Last update for Stockholm: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,566 in Stockholm versus $432 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 529% higher in Stockholm, 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 $110 in Stockholm versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 vs $243 – 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

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

Stockholm costs about 200% 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 $3,873 per month in Stockholm and $1,292 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 $164 per month in Stockholm and $309 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 Stockholm, 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 $861, than in Stockholm at $2,582. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stockholm it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $2,582 in Stockholm. 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, Stockholm makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.