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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,865 per month in Taby vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,902 per month in Taby vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,939 per month in Taby vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Taby costs about 115% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Taby sits 39% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.23 SEK 124

$1.94 ฿63.5

581.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.6 SEK 643

$18.64 ฿609

267.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.71 SEK 100

$7.82 ฿255

36.96%

Cappuccino

$4.53 SEK 42.48

$1.95 ฿63.8

132.31%

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

$3.29 SEK 30.84

$0.85 ฿27.77

287.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 SEK 23.79

$0.35 ฿11.58

625.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.47 SEK 70.1

$2.13 ฿69.6

250.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.55 SEK 80.2

$3.73 ฿122

129.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SEK 16.31

$1.71 ฿56.0

1.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 SEK 28.91

$1.63 ฿53.2

88.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.10 SEK 38.42

$1.14 ฿37.15

259.65%

Eggs

$4.71 SEK 44.14

$1.93 ฿63.1

144.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.91 SEK 121

$16.21 ฿530

-20.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.00 SEK 113

$3.12 ฿102

284.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.55 SEK 183

$10.90 ฿356

79.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 SEK 32.92

$2.75 ฿90.0

27.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.72 SEK 25.49

$1.21 ฿39.52

124.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 SEK 14.63

$1.62 ฿53.0

-3.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 SEK 42.33

$1.59 ฿51.8

183.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 SEK 18.44

$1.40 ฿45.70

40.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 SEK 17.12

$1.17 ฿38.17

56.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 SEK 23.69

$0.66 ฿21.60

283.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SEK 14.54

$0.53 ฿17.22

192.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.20 SEK 67.5

$4.69 ฿153

53.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.83 SEK 120

$18.66 ฿609

-31.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SEK 15.92

$1.80 ฿58.8

-5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 SEK 21.28

$3.23 ฿106

-29.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.01 SEK 37.64

$0.90 ฿29.26

345.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 SEK 978

$19.21 ฿628

442.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 SEK 57.7

$1.41 ฿45.91

336.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 SEK 11.15

$1.29 ฿42.12

-7.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.45 SEK 201

$7.84 ฿256

173.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 SEK 18.74

$1.27 ฿41.58

57.48%

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

$32.3K SEK 302.8K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

51.76%

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

$34.8K SEK 326.8K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

56.88%

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

$89.1 SEK 835

$69.1 ฿2,256

28.96%

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

$28.50 SEK 267

$14.08 ฿460

102.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.09 SEK 357

$18.00 ฿588

111.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.05 SEK 441

$41.06 ฿1,341

14.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.12 SEK 236

$6.96 ฿227

260.92%

Cinema Ticket

$17.57 SEK 165

$5.92 ฿193

196.79%

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

$164 SEK 1,535

$299 ฿9,766

-45.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,112 SEK 38.6K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-72.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 SEK 994

$54.7 ฿1,787

93.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.87 SEK 402

$26.77 ฿874

60.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 SEK 1,078

$85.0 ฿2,776

35.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 SEK 1,478

$70.6 ฿2,306

123.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$832 SEK 7,804

$428 ฿14.0K

94.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 SEK 6,204

$237 ฿7,752

178.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,413 SEK 13.3K

$801 ฿26.2K

76.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 SEK 10.2K

$515 ฿16.8K

110.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,572 SEK 61.6K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

232.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,485 SEK 70.2K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

407.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,558 SEK 33.4K

$617 ฿20.2K

476.21%

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 Taby: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $832 in Taby 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 476% 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 $69.0 in Taby versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $380 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

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

Taby costs about 115% 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 $2,797 per month in Taby 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 $164 per month in Taby 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 54% more in Taby, 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 Taby at $1,865. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taby it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,865 in Taby. 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, Taby makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.