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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,873 per month in Varberg vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,861 per month in Varberg vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,850 per month in Varberg vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Varberg costs about 122% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Varberg sits 40% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.52 SEK 124

$1.95 ฿62.8

593.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.8 SEK 789

$18.43 ฿594

365.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 SEK 93.4

$7.50 ฿241

35.47%

Cappuccino

$4.10 SEK 37.70

$1.93 ฿62.3

112.44%

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

$0.99 SEK 9.13

$0.78 ฿25.08

26.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 SEK 8.99

$0.32 ฿10.42

206.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.92 SEK 72.9

$2.15 ฿69.2

268.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.89 SEK 72.5

$3.71 ฿120

112.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 SEK 13.73

$1.71 ฿55.2

-12.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 SEK 29.02

$1.56 ฿50.3

101.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 SEK 32.29

$1.18 ฿38.06

197.46%

Eggs

$4.45 SEK 40.90

$1.98 ฿63.9

124.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.13 SEK 112

$16.04 ฿517

-24.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.62 SEK 107

$3.17 ฿102

266.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.32 SEK 196

$10.94 ฿353

94.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 SEK 30.51

$2.63 ฿84.7

26.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 SEK 26.00

$1.17 ฿37.61

141.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 SEK 31.58

$1.65 ฿53.0

107.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 SEK 44.24

$1.54 ฿49.51

212.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 SEK 14.11

$1.38 ฿44.34

10.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 SEK 17.88

$1.17 ฿37.54

65.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 SEK 23.17

$0.66 ฿21.25

281.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 SEK 10.46

$0.51 ฿16.55

123.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.21 SEK 66.4

$4.52 ฿146

59.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 SEK 98.8

$18.32 ฿590

-41.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 SEK 19.17

$1.80 ฿57.9

15.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 SEK 11.96

$3.18 ฿102

-59.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 SEK 26.99

$0.90 ฿28.97

225.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.6 SEK 686

$19.00 ฿612

292.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 SEK 48.97

$1.41 ฿45.50

277.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.56 SEK 23.55

$1.31 ฿42.15

95.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.0 SEK 515

$8.09 ฿261

592.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 17.65

$1.28 ฿41.08

50.00%

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

$32.9K SEK 302.4K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

54.34%

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

$33.3K SEK 306.8K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

53.64%

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

$154 SEK 1,419

$69.2 ฿2,230

122.92%

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

$21.13 SEK 194

$13.97 ฿450

51.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.27 SEK 297

$17.95 ฿578

79.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.09 SEK 378

$42.31 ฿1,363

-2.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.52 SEK 235

$6.66 ฿214

283.18%

Cinema Ticket

$16.57 SEK 152

$5.92 ฿191

179.90%

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

$156 SEK 1,432

$299 ฿9,640

-47.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,124 SEK 37.9K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-72.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 SEK 824

$56.2 ฿1,810

59.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 SEK 383

$26.94 ฿868

54.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 SEK 925

$84.9 ฿2,735

18.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 SEK 1,468

$71.8 ฿2,314

122.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 SEK 7,795

$435 ฿14.0K

94.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 SEK 6,109

$240 ฿7,727

176.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,395 SEK 12.8K

$798 ฿25.7K

74.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 SEK 10.0K

$498 ฿16.1K

118.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,272 SEK 39.3K

$1,995 ฿64.3K

114.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,993 SEK 27.5K

$1,532 ฿49.4K

95.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,434 SEK 31.6K

$628 ฿20.2K

446.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.9

-62.00%

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

Last update for Varberg: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $847 in Varberg 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.

Salaries run about 447% higher in Varberg, 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 $86 in Varberg versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 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

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

Varberg costs about 122% 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 $2,809 per month in Varberg 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 $156 per month in Varberg 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 Varberg, 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 Varberg at $1,873. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varberg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $1,873 in Varberg. 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, Varberg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.