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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,924 per month in Tumba vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,018 per month in Tumba vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,113 per month in Tumba vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tumba costs about 102% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Tumba sits 40% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.53 SEK 141

$2.10 ฿69.3

591.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.9 SEK 668

$19.84 ฿656

247.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.34 SEK 100

$5.79 ฿191

78.58%

Cappuccino

$4.63 SEK 44.87

$1.83 ฿60.4

153.01%

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

$2.80 SEK 27.16

$0.78 ฿25.61

258.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SEK 22.35

$0.31 ฿10.37

645.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.32 SEK 71.0

$2.34 ฿77.2

212.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.16 SEK 69.4

$3.70 ฿122

93.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SEK 16.71

$2.03 ฿67.1

-15.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 SEK 31.47

$1.60 ฿52.7

103.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 SEK 37.73

$1.42 ฿46.75

173.94%

Eggs

$5.04 SEK 48.85

$2.18 ฿71.9

131.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.39 SEK 130

$15.91 ฿526

-15.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.51 SEK 131

$3.07 ฿102

340.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.70 SEK 172

$9.87 ฿326

79.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 SEK 32.26

$2.63 ฿86.8

26.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 SEK 26.77

$1.10 ฿36.19

150.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 SEK 20.51

$1.63 ฿53.8

30.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.71 SEK 45.69

$1.53 ฿50.6

207.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 SEK 14.47

$1.24 ฿41.13

20.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 SEK 17.30

$1.13 ฿37.37

57.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 SEK 22.21

$0.74 ฿24.38

209.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 SEK 18.30

$0.50 ฿16.48

278.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.38 SEK 71.5

$4.28 ฿141

72.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.53 SEK 102

$17.97 ฿594

-41.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SEK 19.37

$1.70 ฿56.1

17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 SEK 22.20

$2.90 ฿95.7

-21.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.46 SEK 43.25

$0.94 ฿31.13

374.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 SEK 1,022

$55.3 ฿1,827

90.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.01 SEK 58.2

$1.23 ฿40.76

388.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 SEK 14.96

$0.53 ฿17.66

190.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.3 SEK 565

$2.40 ฿79.3

2327.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 SEK 17.51

$1.44 ฿47.55

25.69%

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

$34.7K SEK 336.2K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

63.63%

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

$33.5K SEK 324.4K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

22.56%

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

$185 SEK 1,793

$64.9 ฿2,145

184.78%

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

$21.99 SEK 213

$13.35 ฿441

64.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.36 SEK 479

$20.83 ฿688

136.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.04 SEK 408

$40.42 ฿1,336

4.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.19 SEK 273

$3.95 ฿131

613.67%

Cinema Ticket

$16.63 SEK 161

$6.71 ฿222

147.84%

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

$169 SEK 1,639

$787 ฿26.0K

-78.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,210 SEK 50.5K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-65.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 SEK 1,135

$56.2 ฿1,858

108.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.8 SEK 531

$24.95 ฿824

119.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 SEK 958

$92.7 ฿3,063

6.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 SEK 1,959

$75.1 ฿2,482

169.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 SEK 6,955

$484 ฿16.0K

48.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 SEK 6,170

$287 ฿9,491

121.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,559 SEK 15.1K

$910 ฿30.1K

71.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$963 SEK 9,338

$531 ฿17.5K

81.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,958 SEK 38.4K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

99.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,729 SEK 26.5K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

88.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.2

5.57

-42.55%

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

Last update for Tumba: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $717 in Tumba versus $484 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Tumba versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 vs $242 – 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

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

Tumba costs about 102% 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 $2,886 per month in Tumba and $1,426 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 $169 per month in Tumba and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 60% more in Tumba, 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 $950, than in Tumba at $1,924. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tumba it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,924 in Tumba. 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, Tumba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.