Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Taby and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $2,122 in Taby, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Taby
🇸🇪 Sweden
$2,122
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$925
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Taby and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Taby and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,122 per month in Taby vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Taby $2,122
  • Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $3,043 per month in Taby vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Taby $3,043
  • Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $3,964 per month in Taby vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Taby $3,964
  • Chiang Mai $1,903

Taby costs about 129% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Taby sits 57% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Taby
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.66 SEK 135
$2.29 ฿76.5
496.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8 SEK 652
$19.64 ฿656
235.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.09 SEK 100.0
$5.61 ฿188
79.86%
Cappuccino
$4.28 SEK 42.41
$1.66 ฿55.6
157.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.58 SEK 35.48
$0.70 ฿23.40
411.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34 SEK 23.19
$0.31 ฿10.24
654.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.95 SEK 68.9
$2.41 ฿80.4
188.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.79 SEK 87.1
$3.71 ฿124
136.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Taby
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 SEK 16.83
$1.95 ฿65.3
-12.82%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 SEK 29.90
$1.41 ฿47.03
114.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.91 SEK 38.75
$1.31 ฿43.62
198.47%
Eggs
$5.20 SEK 51.5
$2.18 ฿72.9
138.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.81 SEK 127
$16.65 ฿556
-23.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.82 SEK 127
$2.76 ฿92.2
364.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.59 SEK 174
$9.11 ฿304
93.08%
Apples (1kg)
$3.13 SEK 31.05
$2.39 ฿80.0
30.96%
Banana (1kg)
$2.62 SEK 25.97
$1.03 ฿34.26
154.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.97 SEK 19.52
$1.63 ฿54.4
20.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.50 SEK 44.60
$1.50 ฿50.0
200.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.70 SEK 16.88
$1.29 ฿43.13
31.78%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 SEK 17.80
$1.11 ฿37.03
62.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.33 SEK 23.13
$0.72 ฿24.08
223.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 SEK 18.87
$0.53 ฿17.59
258.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.00 SEK 69.4
$4.31 ฿144
62.41%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.21 SEK 121
$17.95 ฿600
-31.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 SEK 18.84
$1.58 ฿52.9
20.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 SEK 21.90
$2.84 ฿95.0
-22.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Taby
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.17 SEK 41.32
$0.86 ฿28.86
384.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$101 SEK 1,002
$53.3 ฿1,780
89.81%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.87 SEK 58.1
$1.21 ฿40.29
385.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.55 SEK 15.38
$0.57 ฿18.99
171.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$57.4 SEK 569
$2.35 ฿78.6
2342.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.84 SEK 18.22
$1.44 ฿47.96
27.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.3K SEK 330.3K
$20.7K ฿692.8K
60.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.7K SEK 324.2K
$26.8K ฿895.7K
22.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Taby
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$177 SEK 1,758
$62.3 ฿2,083
184.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.61 SEK 274
$12.11 ฿405
127.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.66 SEK 403
$19.94 ฿666
103.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Taby
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$37.07 ฿1,239
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.78 ฿126
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.11 SEK 170
$6.50 ฿217
163.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Taby
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$156 SEK 1,543
$793 ฿26.5K
-80.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.3K SEK 161.4K
$14.8K ฿494.9K
10.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Taby
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$98.0 SEK 971
$53.7 ฿1,796
82.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.0 SEK 526
$24.62 ฿823
115.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.4 SEK 935
$90.9 ฿3,036
3.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$183 SEK 1,813
$71.1 ฿2,378
157.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Taby
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 SEK 10.1K
$455 ฿15.2K
124.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$870 SEK 8,625
$298 ฿9,954
192.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,411 SEK 14.0K
$908 ฿30.4K
55.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,189 SEK 11.8K
$554 ฿18.5K
114.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,994 SEK 59.4K
$1,931 ฿64.5K
210.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,951 SEK 68.9K
$1,445 ฿48.3K
381.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Taby
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,306 SEK 32.8K
$591 ฿19.7K
459.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.8
5.57
-49.73%

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

Last update for Taby: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Taby
$870
Chiang Mai
$298 65.8% $573
Groceries & Markets
Taby
$380
Chiang Mai
$235 38% $144
Eating Out
Taby
$267
Chiang Mai
$79 70.6% $188
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Taby
$246
Chiang Mai
$94 61.6% $151
Clothing & Footwear
Taby
$193
Chiang Mai
$108 43.9% $85
Getting Around
Taby
$131
Chiang Mai
$61 53.8% $71
Sport & Entertainment
Taby
$34 *
Chiang Mai
$50 46.3% $16

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,023 in Taby versus $455 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 459% higher in Taby, 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 $66.0 in Taby versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $380 vs $235 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇸🇪 Taby
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
03:59 3:59 AM
08:59 8:59 AM
5 h ahead of Taby
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
58,123
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Taby Chiang Mai 7,710 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Taby
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Taby vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Taby or Chiang Mai?
Taby costs about 129% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Taby and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,182 per month in Taby and $1,388 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Taby or Chiang Mai?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Taby and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $156 per month in Taby and $793 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Taby or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 61% more in Taby, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Taby or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Taby at $2,122. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taby it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Taby or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $2,122 in Taby. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Taby compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Taby or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Taby makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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