Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vaxjo and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,665 in Vaxjo, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Vaxjo, Sweden
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Vaxjo
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,665
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vaxjo and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Vaxjo and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,665 per month in Vaxjo vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Vaxjo $1,665
  • Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $2,500 per month in Vaxjo vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Vaxjo $2,500
  • Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $3,335 per month in Vaxjo vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Vaxjo $3,335
  • Chiang Mai $1,979

Vaxjo costs about 78% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Vaxjo sits 22% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vaxjo
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.39 SEK 131
$2.24 ฿75.6
497.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.2 SEK 650
$19.00 ฿641
248.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.95 SEK 97.7
$5.55 ฿187
79.28%
Cappuccino
$4.04 SEK 39.61
$1.67 ฿56.5
141.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 SEK 14.91
$0.64 ฿21.54
137.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 SEK 12.93
$0.31 ฿10.31
325.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.04 SEK 69.1
$2.36 ฿79.5
198.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.50 SEK 63.8
$3.66 ฿124
77.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vaxjo
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.71 SEK 16.74
$1.95 ฿65.7
-12.31%
White Bread (500g)
$2.50 SEK 24.52
$1.44 ฿48.46
73.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.88 SEK 38.04
$1.33 ฿45.03
191.73%
Eggs
$4.38 SEK 43.00
$2.28 ฿77.1
92.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.31 SEK 131
$16.45 ฿555
-19.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.59 SEK 104
$2.78 ฿93.9
280.94%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.83 SEK 116
$9.31 ฿314
27.07%
Apples (1kg)
$3.28 SEK 32.14
$2.35 ฿79.4
39.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 SEK 19.32
$0.97 ฿32.79
103.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.00 SEK 19.58
$1.60 ฿53.9
25.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.81 SEK 47.22
$1.50 ฿50.6
220.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.42 SEK 13.91
$1.28 ฿43.11
10.94%
Onion (1kg)
$1.53 SEK 14.99
$1.10 ฿37.18
39.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.21 SEK 21.72
$0.71 ฿23.82
211.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 SEK 13.47
$0.49 ฿16.36
179.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.30 SEK 71.6
$4.14 ฿140
76.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.54 SEK 74.0
$17.52 ฿591
-56.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.91 SEK 18.78
$1.61 ฿54.5
18.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 SEK 16.12
$2.78 ฿93.9
-41.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Vaxjo
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.16 SEK 30.99
$0.87 ฿29.30
263.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.3 SEK 650
$54.1 ฿1,825
22.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$8.00 SEK 78.5
$1.16 ฿39.04
589.66%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.96 SEK 19.20
$0.53 ฿17.80
269.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$80.0 SEK 785
$2.42 ฿81.7
3206.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.68 SEK 16.44
$1.45 ฿48.88
15.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4K SEK 327.8K
$21.1K ฿710.5K
58.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.7K SEK 320.9K
$26.9K ฿909.0K
21.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vaxjo
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.9 SEK 872
$62.2 ฿2,098
42.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.71 SEK 292
$12.17 ฿411
144.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.34 SEK 298
$20.12 ฿679
50.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vaxjo
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.47 SEK 348
$37.31 ฿1,259
-4.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.40 SEK 200
$3.77 ฿127
441.11%
Cinema Ticket
$16.15 SEK 159
$6.49 ฿219
148.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vaxjo
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$153 SEK 1,504
$736 ฿24.8K
-79.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$14.8K ฿498.2K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vaxjo
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$100 SEK 986
$53.4 ฿1,801
88.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.84 SEK 293
$24.64 ฿831
21.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.5 SEK 702
$91.5 ฿3,087
-21.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 SEK 842
$71.9 ฿2,427
19.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vaxjo
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$812 SEK 7,964
$482 ฿16.3K
68.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$653 SEK 6,408
$309 ฿10.4K
111.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,499 SEK 14.7K
$1,006 ฿33.9K
49.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$944 SEK 9,259
$633 ฿21.4K
48.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,363 ฿79.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,523 SEK 24.8K
$1,589 ฿53.6K
58.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vaxjo
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,119 SEK 30.6K
$590 ฿19.9K
428.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.13
5.57
-25.85%

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

Last update for Vaxjo: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Vaxjo
$653
Chiang Mai
$309 52.7% $344
Groceries & Markets
Vaxjo
$324
Chiang Mai
$234 27.7% $90
Eating Out
Vaxjo
$245
Chiang Mai
$78 68.3% $167
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vaxjo
$149
Chiang Mai
$94 36.6% $54
Clothing & Footwear
Vaxjo
$129
Chiang Mai
$109 16% $21
Getting Around
Vaxjo
$97
Chiang Mai
$61 36.5% $35
Sport & Entertainment
Vaxjo
$68
Chiang Mai
$50 25.8% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $812 in Vaxjo versus $482 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 in Vaxjo are about 5.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66 in Vaxjo versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $234 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇸🇪 Vaxjo
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
05:08 5:08 AM
11:08 11:08 AM
6 h ahead of Vaxjo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
55,600
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 9.81 SEK (1 SEK = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 SEK (100 SEK = 9.13 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Vaxjo Chiang Mai 7,920 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Vaxjo
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Vaxjo vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Vaxjo or Chiang Mai?
Vaxjo costs about 78% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Vaxjo and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,497 per month in Vaxjo and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Vaxjo or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $812 in Vaxjo.
How do childcare costs compare in Vaxjo and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $153 per month in Vaxjo and $736 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Vaxjo or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 38% more in Vaxjo, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Vaxjo or in Chiang Mai?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,665 in Vaxjo and $936 in Chiang Mai. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Vaxjo or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $936 versus $1,665 in Vaxjo. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Vaxjo compared to Chiang Mai?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Vaxjo or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vaxjo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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