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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,382 per month in Alesund vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,761 per month in Alesund vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,140 per month in Alesund vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Alesund costs about 151% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Alesund sits 73% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.51 NOK 201

$2.08 ฿69.4

934.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.1 NOK 850

$19.64 ฿654

363.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.55 NOK 126

$5.65 ฿188

139.82%

Cappuccino

$4.27 NOK 39.80

$1.81 ฿60.1

135.91%

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

$2.06 NOK 19.26

$0.71 ฿23.75

190.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 NOK 21.64

$0.32 ฿10.52

625.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.99 NOK 112

$2.24 ฿74.5

435.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.52 NOK 88.8

$3.63 ฿121

162.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.41 NOK 22.50

$1.96 ฿65.2

22.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 NOK 27.90

$1.50 ฿50.0

99.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 NOK 30.70

$1.34 ฿44.49

145.52%

Eggs

$4.62 NOK 43.13

$2.26 ฿75.4

104.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.27 NOK 142

$16.26 ฿541

-6.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.28 NOK 133

$2.95 ฿98.4

384.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.17 NOK 198

$9.94 ฿331

112.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 NOK 25.08

$2.57 ฿85.7

4.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 NOK 22.80

$1.06 ฿35.18

130.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 NOK 21.30

$1.61 ฿53.7

41.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.71 NOK 34.66

$1.52 ฿50.6

144.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 NOK 24.19

$1.27 ฿42.30

103.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 NOK 14.88

$1.07 ฿35.51

48.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 NOK 28.04

$0.72 ฿23.98

316.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 NOK 19.06

$0.51 ฿16.94

300.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.56 NOK 145

$4.19 ฿140

271.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.44 NOK 172

$17.87 ฿595

3.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.47 NOK 32.41

$1.69 ฿56.4

105.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 NOK 38.87

$2.84 ฿94.5

46.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.02 NOK 46.80

$0.93 ฿30.82

439.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.5 NOK 826

$53.9 ฿1,794

64.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.79 NOK 119

$1.23 ฿41.11

939.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NOK 17.88

$0.58 ฿19.20

231.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$74.7 NOK 697

$2.42 ฿80.7

2985.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.35 NOK 21.94

$1.41 ฿47.03

66.67%

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

$48.5K NOK 452.5K

$21.4K ฿714.1K

126.16%

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

$43.6K NOK 406.7K

$27.3K ฿910.2K

59.45%

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

$289 NOK 2,700

$63.7 ฿2,120

354.56%

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

$31.36 NOK 293

$12.85 ฿428

144.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.8 NOK 558

$20.22 ฿673

195.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 NOK 560

$38.74 ฿1,290

54.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.50 NOK 303

$3.97 ฿132

718.64%

Cinema Ticket

$18.18 NOK 170

$6.74 ฿224

169.73%

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

$247 NOK 2,307

$778 ฿25.9K

-68.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,596 NOK 24.2K

$14.6K ฿486.5K

-82.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.5 NOK 825

$54.3 ฿1,808

62.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.90 NOK 428

$25.45 ฿847

80.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 NOK 1,090

$94.3 ฿3,141

23.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 NOK 1,355

$73.4 ฿2,446

97.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 NOK 10.2K

$490 ฿16.3K

123.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$814 NOK 7,591

$289 ฿9,634

181.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 NOK 10.8K

$894 ฿29.8K

29.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,674 NOK 15.6K

$517 ฿17.2K

223.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,496 NOK 42.0K

$1,955 ฿65.1K

129.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,529 NOK 23.6K

$1,477 ฿49.2K

71.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,238 NOK 39.5K

$602 ฿20.0K

603.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

5.57

-24.24%

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

Last update for Alesund: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,095 in Alesund versus $490 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 604% higher in Alesund, 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 Alesund versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $432 vs $240 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,382 in Alesund, $947 in Chiang Mai – roughly 151% apart. Alesund costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,573 per month in Alesund and $1,421 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Alesund and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,382 in Alesund and $947 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Alesund at $2,382. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alesund it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $947 in Chiang Mai to $2,382 in Alesund. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Alesund makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.