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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,814 per month in Varnamo vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Varnamo vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,842 per month in Varnamo vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Varnamo costs about 113% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Varnamo sits 35% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.57 SEK 117

$1.96 ฿64.0

541.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.3 SEK 812

$18.81 ฿615

363.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.19 SEK 113

$7.92 ฿259

53.91%

Cappuccino

$5.05 SEK 46.93

$1.91 ฿62.6

164.40%

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

$2.84 SEK 26.38

$0.84 ฿27.41

238.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SEK 19.28

$0.35 ฿11.51

491.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.00 SEK 74.4

$2.21 ฿72.1

261.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.51 SEK 69.8

$3.80 ฿124

97.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 SEK 14.90

$1.64 ฿53.5

-2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 SEK 19.83

$1.62 ฿53.1

31.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 SEK 27.34

$1.18 ฿38.62

149.15%

Eggs

$4.44 SEK 41.29

$2.01 ฿65.8

120.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.16 SEK 122

$15.89 ฿520

-17.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.74 SEK 109

$3.01 ฿98.5

290.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.83 SEK 157

$10.77 ฿352

56.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 SEK 29.50

$2.61 ฿85.5

21.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 SEK 26.23

$1.22 ฿39.88

131.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 SEK 25.75

$1.70 ฿55.7

62.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 SEK 42.07

$1.58 ฿51.5

186.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 SEK 15.69

$1.32 ฿43.14

28.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 SEK 14.83

$1.17 ฿38.23

35.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 SEK 24.78

$0.67 ฿21.98

297.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 SEK 11.89

$0.56 ฿18.32

128.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.20 SEK 76.3

$4.53 ฿148

81.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.22 SEK 114

$18.20 ฿595

-32.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 SEK 18.80

$1.83 ฿60.0

10.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 SEK 20.91

$3.23 ฿106

-30.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.48 SEK 32.36

$0.89 ฿29.00

291.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.7 SEK 686

$19.38 ฿634

280.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.61 SEK 52.2

$1.35 ฿44.20

315.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.56 SEK 23.77

$1.35 ฿44.05

89.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.8 SEK 593

$8.25 ฿270

673.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 SEK 17.61

$1.27 ฿41.64

48.82%

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

$32.7K SEK 303.8K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

54.40%

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

$34.1K SEK 316.8K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

51.49%

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

$123 SEK 1,141

$70.2 ฿2,294

74.95%

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

$29.26 SEK 272

$13.77 ฿450

112.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.11 SEK 373

$17.60 ฿575

127.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.27 SEK 384

$41.57 ฿1,360

-0.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.88 SEK 231

$6.60 ฿216

276.97%

Cinema Ticket

$17.70 SEK 165

$5.78 ฿189

206.23%

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

$179 SEK 1,664

$306 ฿10.0K

-41.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,165 SEK 38.7K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-71.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.2 SEK 746

$54.4 ฿1,778

47.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.0 SEK 567

$26.14 ฿855

133.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SEK 986

$84.5 ฿2,764

25.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 SEK 1,181

$69.4 ฿2,270

82.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$833 SEK 7,743

$424 ฿13.9K

96.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 SEK 6,169

$238 ฿7,788

178.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 SEK 12.8K

$825 ฿27.0K

66.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 SEK 9,902

$515 ฿16.8K

106.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,394 SEK 40.9K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

114.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,014 SEK 28.0K

$1,523 ฿49.8K

97.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,169 SEK 20.2K

$635 ฿20.8K

241.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

-4.00%

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

Last update for Varnamo: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $833 in Varnamo versus $424 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 242% higher in Varnamo, 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 $87.0 in Varnamo versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $355 vs $243 – 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

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

Varnamo costs about 113% 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 $2,720 per month in Varnamo and $1,278 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 $179 per month in Varnamo and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Varnamo, 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 $852, than in Varnamo at $1,814. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varnamo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,814 in Varnamo. 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, Varnamo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.