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 $1,844 per month in Tumba vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,898 per month in Tumba vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,953 per month in Tumba vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

Tumba sits 38% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.96 SEK 138

$1.95 ฿62.8

667.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.4 SEK 620

$18.43 ฿594

265.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.48 SEK 96.4

$7.50 ฿241

39.73%

Cappuccino

$4.60 SEK 42.31

$1.93 ฿62.3

138.34%

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

$2.73 SEK 25.10

$0.78 ฿25.08

250.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SEK 22.63

$0.32 ฿10.42

668.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.58 SEK 69.7

$2.15 ฿69.2

252.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.54 SEK 69.4

$3.71 ฿120

103.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 SEK 16.62

$1.71 ฿55.2

5.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 SEK 28.08

$1.56 ฿50.3

95.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.90 SEK 35.91

$1.18 ฿38.06

230.51%

Eggs

$3.94 SEK 36.27

$1.98 ฿63.9

98.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.00 SEK 120

$16.04 ฿517

-18.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.31 SEK 122

$3.17 ฿102

319.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.69 SEK 144

$10.94 ฿353

43.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 SEK 33.22

$2.63 ฿84.7

37.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 SEK 24.72

$1.17 ฿37.61

129.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 SEK 14.35

$1.65 ฿53.0

-5.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.43 SEK 40.80

$1.54 ฿49.51

187.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 SEK 13.92

$1.38 ฿44.34

9.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 SEK 17.41

$1.17 ฿37.54

61.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 SEK 23.18

$0.66 ฿21.25

281.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 SEK 14.93

$0.51 ฿16.55

217.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.19 SEK 66.2

$4.52 ฿146

59.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.12 SEK 121

$18.32 ฿590

-28.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SEK 15.75

$1.80 ฿57.9

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SEK 17.35

$3.18 ฿102

-40.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.32 SEK 39.70

$0.90 ฿28.97

380.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 SEK 998

$19.00 ฿612

471.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.29 SEK 57.9

$1.41 ฿45.50

346.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 SEK 10.98

$1.31 ฿42.15

-9.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.85 SEK 192

$8.09 ฿261

157.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 SEK 18.49

$1.28 ฿41.08

57.03%

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

$33.1K SEK 304.6K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

55.51%

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

$34.6K SEK 317.9K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

59.21%

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

$90.1 SEK 829

$69.2 ฿2,230

30.23%

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

$28.94 SEK 266

$13.97 ฿450

107.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.50 SEK 391

$17.95 ฿578

136.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.63 SEK 392

$42.31 ฿1,363

0.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 SEK 233

$6.66 ฿214

280.18%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 SEK 151

$5.92 ฿191

177.53%

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

$144 SEK 1,329

$299 ฿9,640

-51.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,106 SEK 37.8K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-72.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 SEK 971

$56.2 ฿1,810

87.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.88 SEK 395

$26.94 ฿868

59.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 SEK 1,080

$84.9 ฿2,735

38.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 SEK 1,406

$71.8 ฿2,314

112.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 SEK 7,596

$435 ฿14.0K

89.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 SEK 6,063

$240 ฿7,727

174.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,421 SEK 13.1K

$798 ฿25.7K

78.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 SEK 10.1K

$498 ฿16.1K

119.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,180 SEK 38.5K

$1,995 ฿64.3K

109.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,901 SEK 26.7K

$1,532 ฿49.4K

89.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $826 in Tumba versus $435 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 in Tumba versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $372 vs $244 – 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 $2,766 per month in Tumba and $1,267 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 Tumba 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 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 $845, than in Tumba at $1,844. 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 $845 versus $1,844 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.