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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,552 in Askim versus $845 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,982 in Askim versus $1,323 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,412 in Askim versus $1,802 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Askim is roughly 202% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Askim is 90% above, Chiang Mai is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.08 NOK 233

$1.95 ฿62.8

1186.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,119

$18.43 ฿594

553.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.02 NOK 140

$7.50 ฿241

100.27%

Cappuccino

$5.09 NOK 47.32

$1.93 ฿62.3

163.73%

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

$4.14 NOK 38.55

$0.78 ฿25.08

430.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 NOK 31.32

$0.32 ฿10.42

953.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.11 NOK 113

$2.15 ฿69.2

463.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.35 NOK 106

$3.71 ฿120

205.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 NOK 22.26

$1.71 ฿55.2

39.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 NOK 36.94

$1.56 ฿50.3

154.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 NOK 33.76

$1.18 ฿38.06

207.63%

Eggs

$5.21 NOK 48.46

$1.98 ฿63.9

163.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.61 NOK 127

$16.04 ฿517

-15.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.35 NOK 152

$3.17 ฿102

415.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.42 NOK 292

$10.94 ฿353

187.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 NOK 32.74

$2.63 ฿84.7

33.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 NOK 23.47

$1.17 ฿37.61

115.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 NOK 30.78

$1.65 ฿53.0

100.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 NOK 46.83

$1.54 ฿49.51

227.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 NOK 23.35

$1.38 ฿44.34

81.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 NOK 24.00

$1.17 ฿37.54

120.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 NOK 26.23

$0.66 ฿21.25

327.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 NOK 22.36

$0.51 ฿16.55

370.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.00 NOK 158

$4.52 ฿146

276.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 NOK 176

$18.32 ฿590

3.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.49 NOK 32.46

$1.80 ฿57.9

93.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 NOK 40.17

$3.18 ฿102

35.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.22 NOK 39.25

$0.90 ฿28.97

368.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.7 NOK 685

$19.00 ฿612

287.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.98 NOK 92.9

$1.41 ฿45.50

607.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 NOK 13.47

$1.31 ฿42.15

10.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.73 NOK 388

$8.09 ฿261

415.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.28 NOK 21.25

$1.28 ฿41.08

78.12%

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

$35.8K NOK 333.2K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

68.24%

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

$36.1K NOK 335.7K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

66.32%

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

$297 NOK 2,765

$69.2 ฿2,230

329.65%

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

$31.29 NOK 291

$13.97 ฿450

123.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 NOK 521

$17.95 ฿578

211.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.64 NOK 462

$42.31 ฿1,363

17.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.83 NOK 333

$6.66 ฿214

437.99%

Cinema Ticket

$15.00 NOK 140

$5.92 ฿191

153.38%

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

$275 NOK 2,553

$299 ฿9,640

-8.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K NOK 137.0K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-0.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 NOK 946

$56.2 ฿1,810

81.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.0 NOK 605

$26.94 ฿868

141.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 NOK 1,131

$84.9 ฿2,735

43.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 NOK 1,525

$71.8 ฿2,314

128.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 NOK 11.1K

$435 ฿14.0K

174.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$905 NOK 8,417

$240 ฿7,727

277.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,798 NOK 16.7K

$798 ฿25.7K

125.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,554 NOK 14.5K

$498 ฿16.1K

211.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,987 NOK 55.7K

$1,995 ฿64.3K

200.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,471 NOK 41.6K

$1,532 ฿49.4K

191.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,165 NOK 38.7K

$628 ฿20.2K

563.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

1.60%

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

Last update for Askim: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,192 in Askim and $435 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Askim pays 563% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $120 in Askim vs $18 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $504 vs $244 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

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

Askim and Chiang Mai differ by about 202% in total monthly costs ($2,552 vs $845 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Askim pays 563% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,192 in Askim versus $435 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $120 in Askim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,552 per month in Askim versus $845 in Chiang Mai – a 202% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $845 in Chiang Mai versus $2,552 in Askim, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Askim. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Askim and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 202% less than in Askim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.