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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,767 per month in Ystad vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,748 per month in Ystad vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,728 per month in Ystad vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ystad costs about 109% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ystad sits 32% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.51 SEK 106

$1.95 ฿62.8

490.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.2 SEK 848

$18.43 ฿594

400.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 SEK 95.5

$7.50 ฿241

38.40%

Cappuccino

$3.94 SEK 36.22

$1.93 ฿62.3

104.15%

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

$2.95 SEK 27.17

$0.78 ฿25.08

278.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 SEK 23.24

$0.32 ฿10.42

690.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.22 SEK 57.2

$2.15 ฿69.2

189.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 SEK 73.7

$3.71 ฿120

115.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SEK 15.62

$1.71 ฿55.2

-0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 SEK 27.80

$1.56 ฿50.3

93.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.19 SEK 29.31

$1.18 ฿38.06

170.34%

Eggs

$3.13 SEK 28.82

$1.98 ฿63.9

58.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.86 SEK 109

$16.04 ฿517

-26.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 SEK 88.4

$3.17 ฿102

203.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.59 SEK 171

$10.94 ฿353

69.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 SEK 29.22

$2.63 ฿84.7

20.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 SEK 24.35

$1.17 ฿37.61

126.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 SEK 26.44

$1.65 ฿53.0

73.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 SEK 39.42

$1.54 ฿49.51

177.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 SEK 16.06

$1.38 ฿44.34

26.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 SEK 17.13

$1.17 ฿37.54

58.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 SEK 20.29

$0.66 ฿21.25

234.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 SEK 14.38

$0.51 ฿16.55

205.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.76 SEK 71.4

$4.52 ฿146

71.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.73 SEK 108

$18.32 ฿590

-35.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 SEK 19.81

$1.80 ฿57.9

19.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 SEK 23.19

$3.18 ฿102

-20.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.45 SEK 31.76

$0.90 ฿28.97

283.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 SEK 690

$19.00 ฿612

294.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.08 SEK 92.8

$1.41 ฿45.50

614.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 SEK 14.79

$1.31 ฿42.15

22.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.7 SEK 577

$8.09 ฿261

675.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 SEK 17.16

$1.28 ฿41.08

45.31%

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

$26.4K SEK 242.5K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

23.78%

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

$29.5K SEK 271.1K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

35.79%

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

$119 SEK 1,097

$69.2 ฿2,230

72.36%

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

$20.97 SEK 193

$13.97 ฿450

50.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.04 SEK 295

$17.95 ฿578

78.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.24 SEK 379

$42.31 ฿1,363

-2.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 SEK 233

$6.66 ฿214

280.18%

Cinema Ticket

$12.68 SEK 117

$5.92 ฿191

114.19%

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

$176 SEK 1,618

$299 ฿9,640

-41.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,208 SEK 38.7K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-71.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 SEK 478

$56.2 ฿1,810

-7.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.35 SEK 362

$26.94 ฿868

46.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 SEK 890

$84.9 ฿2,735

13.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 SEK 1,422

$71.8 ฿2,314

115.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 SEK 7,752

$435 ฿14.0K

93.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 SEK 5,992

$240 ฿7,727

171.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,374 SEK 12.6K

$798 ฿25.7K

72.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 SEK 9,913

$498 ฿16.1K

116.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,350 SEK 40.0K

$1,995 ฿64.3K

118.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,197 SEK 29.4K

$1,532 ฿49.4K

108.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,012 SEK 18.5K

$628 ฿20.2K

220.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-20.00%

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

Last update for Ystad: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $843 in Ystad 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 220% higher in Ystad, 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 $92 in Ystad versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 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

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

Ystad costs about 109% 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 $2,651 per month in Ystad 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 $176 per month in Ystad 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 44% more in Ystad, 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 Ystad at $1,767. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ystad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $1,767 in Ystad. 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, Ystad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.