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 $1,664 per month in Ystad vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,696 per month in Ystad vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,728 per month in Ystad vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ystad costs about 75% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ystad sits 21% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.39 SEK 120

$2.10 ฿69.3

490.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.0 SEK 882

$19.84 ฿656

358.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 SEK 101

$5.79 ฿191

80.48%

Cappuccino

$3.15 SEK 30.57

$1.83 ฿60.4

72.13%

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

$3.06 SEK 29.63

$0.78 ฿25.61

292.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 SEK 23.23

$0.31 ฿10.37

674.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.23 SEK 70.1

$2.34 ฿77.2

208.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.65 SEK 74.1

$3.70 ฿122

106.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 SEK 17.38

$2.03 ฿67.1

-11.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 SEK 27.42

$1.60 ฿52.7

76.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 SEK 31.00

$1.42 ฿46.75

125.35%

Eggs

$3.17 SEK 30.68

$2.18 ฿71.9

45.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.07 SEK 117

$15.91 ฿526

-24.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 SEK 92.4

$3.07 ฿102

210.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.30 SEK 168

$9.87 ฿326

75.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 SEK 31.13

$2.63 ฿86.8

22.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 SEK 24.93

$1.10 ฿36.19

133.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 SEK 30.41

$1.63 ฿53.8

92.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 SEK 43.69

$1.53 ฿50.6

194.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 SEK 15.40

$1.24 ฿41.13

28.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 SEK 16.92

$1.13 ฿37.37

54.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 SEK 20.18

$0.74 ฿24.38

181.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 SEK 16.74

$0.50 ฿16.48

246.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.10 SEK 78.5

$4.28 ฿141

89.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.72 SEK 123

$17.97 ฿594

-29.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 SEK 21.45

$1.70 ฿56.1

30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 SEK 22.78

$2.90 ฿95.7

-18.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.40 SEK 33.00

$0.94 ฿31.13

261.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.0 SEK 766

$55.3 ฿1,827

42.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 SEK 60.3

$1.23 ฿40.76

405.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 SEK 16.68

$0.53 ฿17.66

224.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.5 SEK 606

$2.40 ฿79.3

2505.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 SEK 18.11

$1.44 ฿47.55

29.86%

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

$31.8K SEK 308.1K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

49.99%

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

$34.5K SEK 334.0K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

26.17%

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

$108 SEK 1,051

$64.9 ฿2,145

67.00%

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

$19.86 SEK 192

$13.35 ฿441

48.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.54 SEK 306

$20.83 ฿688

51.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 SEK 382

$40.42 ฿1,336

-2.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.62 SEK 287

$3.95 ฿131

649.87%

Cinema Ticket

$12.52 SEK 121

$6.71 ฿222

86.59%

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

$187 SEK 1,815

$787 ฿26.0K

-76.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,480 SEK 43.4K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-70.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 SEK 507

$56.2 ฿1,858

-6.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.97 SEK 329

$24.95 ฿824

36.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 SEK 925

$92.7 ฿3,063

2.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 SEK 1,309

$75.1 ฿2,482

79.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 SEK 7,993

$484 ฿16.0K

70.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 SEK 5,870

$287 ฿9,491

110.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 SEK 13.3K

$910 ฿30.1K

50.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 SEK 10.1K

$531 ฿17.5K

97.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,267 SEK 41.4K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

115.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,891 SEK 28.0K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

99.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,951 SEK 18.9K

$605 ฿20.0K

222.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.06

5.57

-45.06%

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

Last update for Ystad: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $825 in Ystad versus $484 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 222% 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 $91.0 in Ystad versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $353 vs $242 – 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 75% 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 $2,496 per month in Ystad and $1,426 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 $187 per month in Ystad and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% 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 $950, than in Ystad at $1,664. 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 $950 versus $1,664 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.