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 $2,505 per month in Stockholm vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,800 per month in Stockholm vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,096 per month in Stockholm vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Stockholm costs about 189% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Stockholm sits 87% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.12 SEK 150

$1.94 ฿63.5

730.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 SEK 1,045

$18.64 ฿609

500.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 SEK 108

$7.82 ฿255

48.08%

Cappuccino

$5.08 SEK 47.40

$1.95 ฿63.8

160.51%

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

$3.30 SEK 30.79

$0.85 ฿27.77

288.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 SEK 23.35

$0.35 ฿11.58

614.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.67 SEK 80.9

$2.13 ฿69.6

307.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.30 SEK 77.5

$3.73 ฿122

122.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SEK 16.03

$1.71 ฿56.0

0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 SEK 32.29

$1.63 ฿53.2

112.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.99 SEK 37.28

$1.14 ฿37.15

250.00%

Eggs

$4.72 SEK 44.00

$1.93 ฿63.1

144.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 SEK 122

$16.21 ฿530

-19.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.91 SEK 120

$3.12 ฿102

313.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.56 SEK 183

$10.90 ฿356

79.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 SEK 33.73

$2.75 ฿90.0

31.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 SEK 26.37

$1.21 ฿39.52

133.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 SEK 31.62

$1.62 ฿53.0

109.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 SEK 42.88

$1.59 ฿51.8

189.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 SEK 17.70

$1.40 ฿45.70

35.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 SEK 17.54

$1.17 ฿38.17

60.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 SEK 24.27

$0.66 ฿21.60

293.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SEK 14.98

$0.53 ฿17.22

203.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 SEK 73.0

$4.69 ฿153

66.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 SEK 120

$18.66 ฿609

-31.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 SEK 20.15

$1.80 ฿58.8

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SEK 20.95

$3.23 ฿106

-30.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.57 SEK 42.60

$0.90 ฿29.26

407.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 SEK 1,028

$19.21 ฿628

473.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.27 SEK 58.5

$1.41 ฿45.91

344.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 SEK 14.67

$1.29 ฿42.12

21.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.5 SEK 583

$7.84 ฿256

696.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 SEK 16.98

$1.27 ฿41.58

43.31%

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

$33.0K SEK 307.6K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

54.92%

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

$35.4K SEK 330.5K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

59.44%

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

$229 SEK 2,133

$69.1 ฿2,256

231.03%

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

$28.82 SEK 269

$14.08 ฿460

104.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.69 SEK 389

$18.00 ฿588

131.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.58 SEK 435

$41.06 ฿1,341

13.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.46 SEK 359

$6.96 ฿227

452.59%

Cinema Ticket

$17.65 SEK 165

$5.92 ฿193

198.14%

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

$165 SEK 1,541

$299 ฿9,766

-44.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,662 SEK 62.2K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-55.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.4 SEK 909

$54.7 ฿1,787

78.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.44 SEK 461

$26.77 ฿874

84.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 SEK 1,090

$85.0 ฿2,776

37.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$204 SEK 1,907

$70.6 ฿2,306

189.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 SEK 14.8K

$428 ฿14.0K

271.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 SEK 10.3K

$237 ฿7,752

366.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 SEK 25.8K

$801 ฿26.2K

245.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,805 SEK 16.8K

$515 ฿16.8K

250.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K SEK 114.3K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

520.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,689 SEK 62.4K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

353.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,779 SEK 35.3K

$617 ฿20.2K

512.05%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,589 in Stockholm 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 512% 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 $112 in Stockholm versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 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

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

Stockholm costs about 189% 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 $3,758 per month in Stockholm 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 $165 per month in Stockholm 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 63% 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 $866, than in Stockholm at $2,505. 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 $866 versus $2,505 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.