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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,702 per month in Asker vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,987 per month in Asker vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,272 per month in Asker vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Asker costs about 217% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Asker sits 102% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.19 NOK 235

$1.96 ฿63.6

1185.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 NOK 945

$18.81 ฿611

438.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.51 NOK 126

$7.92 ฿258

70.58%

Cappuccino

$4.93 NOK 45.94

$1.91 ฿62.2

158.12%

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

$2.65 NOK 24.74

$0.84 ฿27.25

215.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 NOK 20.47

$0.35 ฿11.44

528.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.32 NOK 106

$2.21 ฿71.7

412.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.60 NOK 89.5

$3.80 ฿124

152.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 20.27

$1.64 ฿53.2

32.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 NOK 32.21

$1.62 ฿52.8

113.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.45 NOK 32.17

$1.18 ฿38.40

192.37%

Eggs

$4.33 NOK 40.39

$2.01 ฿65.4

115.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 NOK 106

$15.89 ฿517

-28.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.83 NOK 129

$3.01 ฿98.0

359.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.41 NOK 293

$10.77 ฿350

191.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 NOK 34.09

$2.61 ฿85.0

40.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 NOK 24.34

$1.22 ฿39.65

113.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 NOK 30.99

$1.70 ฿55.4

95.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 NOK 40.67

$1.58 ฿51.2

175.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 NOK 23.48

$1.32 ฿42.89

90.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 NOK 23.01

$1.17 ฿38.01

111.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.86 NOK 26.63

$0.67 ฿21.85

326.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 NOK 19.28

$0.56 ฿18.21

269.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.05 NOK 131

$4.53 ฿147

210.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.32 NOK 180

$18.20 ฿592

6.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.34 NOK 31.14

$1.83 ฿59.6

82.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 NOK 40.75

$3.23 ฿105

35.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.17 NOK 38.83

$0.89 ฿28.83

368.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.0 NOK 736

$19.38 ฿630

307.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.16 NOK 94.7

$1.35 ฿43.95

652.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 NOK 13.39

$1.35 ฿43.79

6.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.71 NOK 389

$8.25 ฿268

405.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 NOK 20.12

$1.27 ฿41.40

70.08%

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

$36.0K NOK 335.8K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

70.30%

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

$41.9K NOK 390.6K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

86.37%

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

$216 NOK 2,013

$70.2 ฿2,281

207.94%

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

$30.84 NOK 287

$13.77 ฿448

123.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.55 NOK 350

$17.60 ฿572

113.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.67 NOK 463

$41.57 ฿1,352

19.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.61 NOK 332

$6.60 ฿215

439.55%

Cinema Ticket

$15.22 NOK 142

$5.78 ฿188

163.32%

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

$266 NOK 2,475

$306 ฿9,953

-13.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K NOK 137.2K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-0.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 NOK 955

$54.4 ฿1,768

88.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.64 NOK 444

$26.14 ฿850

82.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 NOK 1,135

$84.5 ฿2,748

44.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 NOK 1,413

$69.4 ฿2,257

118.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,490 NOK 13.9K

$424 ฿13.8K

251.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 NOK 11.4K

$238 ฿7,743

415.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,213 NOK 20.6K

$825 ฿26.8K

168.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 NOK 16.5K

$515 ฿16.7K

242.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,903 NOK 92.3K

$2,049 ฿66.6K

383.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,891 NOK 82.9K

$1,523 ฿49.5K

483.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,031 NOK 37.6K

$635 ฿20.6K

534.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

-12.40%

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

Last update for Asker: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,490 in Asker 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 535% higher in Asker, 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 $101 in Asker versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $467 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

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

Asker costs about 217% 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 $4,053 per month in Asker 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 $266 per month in Asker 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 92% more in Asker, 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 Asker at $2,702. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Asker it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $2,702 in Asker. 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, Asker makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.