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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,776 per month in Sundsvall vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,653 per month in Sundsvall vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,530 per month in Sundsvall vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

Sundsvall sits 33% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.51 SEK 117

$1.94 ฿63.5

544.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.4 SEK 788

$18.64 ฿609

353.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.30 SEK 96.1

$7.82 ฿255

31.71%

Cappuccino

$4.41 SEK 41.19

$1.95 ฿63.8

126.15%

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

$2.53 SEK 23.60

$0.85 ฿27.77

197.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SEK 19.59

$0.35 ฿11.58

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.44 SEK 69.4

$2.13 ฿69.6

249.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 SEK 75.5

$3.73 ฿122

116.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 SEK 14.76

$1.71 ฿56.0

-7.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 SEK 30.86

$1.63 ฿53.2

103.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 SEK 34.91

$1.14 ฿37.15

228.07%

Eggs

$3.58 SEK 33.43

$1.93 ฿63.1

85.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 SEK 95.2

$16.21 ฿530

-37.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.35 SEK 96.6

$3.12 ฿102

231.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.47 SEK 172

$10.90 ฿356

69.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 SEK 27.04

$2.75 ฿90.0

5.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 SEK 22.73

$1.21 ฿39.52

101.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 SEK 24.75

$1.62 ฿53.0

63.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 SEK 37.84

$1.59 ฿51.8

155.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 SEK 13.67

$1.40 ฿45.70

4.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 SEK 13.78

$1.17 ฿38.17

26.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 SEK 17.55

$0.66 ฿21.60

184.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 SEK 9.26

$0.53 ฿17.22

86.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.78 SEK 72.6

$4.69 ฿153

65.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 SEK 87.6

$18.66 ฿609

-49.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 SEK 15.29

$1.80 ฿58.8

-8.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 SEK 14.03

$3.23 ฿106

-53.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.42 SEK 31.95

$0.90 ฿29.26

280.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.4 SEK 806

$19.21 ฿628

349.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.20 SEK 57.9

$1.41 ฿45.91

339.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 SEK 11.50

$1.29 ฿42.12

-4.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.1 SEK 570

$7.84 ฿256

679.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 17.73

$1.27 ฿41.58

49.61%

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

$26.5K SEK 247.5K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

24.67%

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

$27.7K SEK 258.1K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

24.51%

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

$131 SEK 1,227

$69.1 ฿2,256

90.31%

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

$30.18 SEK 282

$14.08 ฿460

114.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.01 SEK 243

$18.00 ฿588

44.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.55 SEK 360

$41.06 ฿1,341

-6.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.01 SEK 243

$6.96 ฿227

273.71%

Cinema Ticket

$14.47 SEK 135

$5.92 ฿193

144.43%

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

$144 SEK 1,344

$299 ฿9,766

-51.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,148 SEK 38.7K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-72.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.6 SEK 874

$54.7 ฿1,787

71.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.00 SEK 280

$26.77 ฿874

12.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.7 SEK 707

$85.0 ฿2,776

-10.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 SEK 1,231

$70.6 ฿2,306

86.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 SEK 7,724

$428 ฿14.0K

93.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 SEK 5,833

$237 ฿7,752

163.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 SEK 11.2K

$801 ฿26.2K

49.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 SEK 8,305

$515 ฿16.8K

72.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,598 SEK 24.2K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

31.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,350 SEK 12.6K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-8.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,231 SEK 30.2K

$617 ฿20.2K

423.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

-10.40%

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

Last update for Sundsvall: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $828 in Sundsvall 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 423% higher in Sundsvall, 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 $84.0 in Sundsvall versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 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

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

Sundsvall 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 $2,664 per month in Sundsvall 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 $144 per month in Sundsvall 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 35% more in Sundsvall, 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 Sundsvall at $1,776. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sundsvall it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,776 in Sundsvall. 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, Sundsvall makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.