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 $1,895 per month in Tumba vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,871 per month in Tumba vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,847 per month in Tumba vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tumba costs about 118% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Tumba sits 41% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.95 SEK 142

$1.98 ฿65.0

655.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.3 SEK 638

$18.80 ฿619

257.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 SEK 101

$7.75 ฿255

36.77%

Cappuccino

$4.65 SEK 44.10

$1.92 ฿63.2

142.19%

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

$2.70 SEK 25.57

$0.79 ฿26.07

241.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 SEK 23.85

$0.36 ฿11.74

600.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.16 SEK 67.9

$2.21 ฿72.9

223.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.52 SEK 71.3

$3.66 ฿120

105.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SEK 16.26

$1.65 ฿54.4

4.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 SEK 29.47

$1.63 ฿53.7

90.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.02 SEK 38.11

$1.19 ฿39.28

237.82%

Eggs

$3.99 SEK 37.84

$2.00 ฿65.8

99.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.81 SEK 121

$15.98 ฿526

-19.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.16 SEK 125

$3.03 ฿99.6

334.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.63 SEK 148

$10.86 ฿357

43.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 SEK 34.28

$2.76 ฿90.9

31.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 SEK 24.41

$1.18 ฿38.83

117.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 SEK 14.88

$1.64 ฿54.0

-4.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 SEK 44.07

$1.52 ฿50.0

205.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 SEK 14.79

$1.38 ฿45.59

13.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 SEK 17.71

$1.19 ฿39.25

57.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 SEK 24.84

$0.70 ฿23.11

274.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SEK 15.27

$0.56 ฿18.32

187.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.37 SEK 69.9

$4.58 ฿151

60.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 SEK 102

$16.56 ฿545

-35.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 SEK 16.73

$1.83 ฿60.2

-3.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 SEK 18.14

$3.20 ฿105

-40.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.41 SEK 41.86

$0.88 ฿28.87

401.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 SEK 1,004

$18.72 ฿616

465.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 SEK 58.1

$1.36 ฿44.64

350.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 SEK 11.58

$1.34 ฿44.12

-8.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.80 SEK 197

$7.84 ฿258

165.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 SEK 18.90

$1.23 ฿40.35

61.79%

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

$32.2K SEK 305.1K

$21.6K ฿711.8K

48.79%

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

$34.2K SEK 324.3K

$22.5K ฿742.2K

51.71%

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

$90.3 SEK 856

$70.5 ฿2,322

28.06%

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

$28.17 SEK 267

$13.68 ฿450

105.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.83 SEK 397

$17.45 ฿574

139.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.37 SEK 411

$41.33 ฿1,361

4.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.71 SEK 244

$6.96 ฿229

269.40%

Cinema Ticket

$16.14 SEK 153

$5.77 ฿190

179.72%

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

$143 SEK 1,355

$307 ฿10.1K

-53.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,072 SEK 38.6K

$14.6K ฿481.0K

-72.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 SEK 978

$55.8 ฿1,837

84.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.27 SEK 420

$26.21 ฿863

68.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 SEK 1,111

$85.8 ฿2,823

36.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 SEK 1,489

$72.2 ฿2,378

117.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$842 SEK 7,980

$430 ฿14.1K

95.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$652 SEK 6,184

$239 ฿7,857

173.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,405 SEK 13.3K

$817 ฿26.9K

71.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,102 SEK 10.5K

$511 ฿16.8K

115.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,847 SEK 46.0K

$1,983 ฿65.3K

144.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,251 SEK 30.8K

$1,484 ฿48.9K

119.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

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 Tumba: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $842 in Tumba versus $430 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 $67.0 in Tumba versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 vs $241 – 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 118% 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 $2,842 per month in Tumba and $1,303 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 $143 per month in Tumba and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% 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 $869, than in Tumba at $1,895. 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 $869 versus $1,895 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.