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: $2,908 in Askim versus $950 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,386 in Askim versus $1,430 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,865 in Askim versus $1,909 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Askim is roughly 206% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Askim is 111% above, Chiang Mai is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.05 NOK 195

$2.10 ฿69.3

902.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$130 NOK 1,208

$19.84 ฿656

556.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.15 NOK 150

$5.79 ฿191

178.93%

Cappuccino

$5.95 NOK 55.2

$1.83 ฿60.4

225.14%

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

$4.14 NOK 38.36

$0.78 ฿25.61

430.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 NOK 32.19

$0.31 ฿10.37

1019.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.63 NOK 108

$2.34 ฿77.2

397.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.93 NOK 120

$3.70 ฿122

249.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.55 NOK 23.65

$2.03 ฿67.1

25.62%

White Bread (500g)

$4.27 NOK 39.57

$1.60 ฿52.7

166.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 NOK 43.62

$1.42 ฿46.75

230.99%

Eggs

$6.22 NOK 57.7

$2.18 ฿71.9

185.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.14 NOK 140

$15.91 ฿526

-4.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.36 NOK 143

$3.07 ฿102

400.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$29.73 NOK 276

$9.87 ฿326

201.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 NOK 31.08

$2.63 ฿86.8

27.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 NOK 25.16

$1.10 ฿36.19

146.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 NOK 32.04

$1.63 ฿53.8

111.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.15 NOK 57.0

$1.53 ฿50.6

301.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 NOK 24.60

$1.24 ฿41.13

113.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 NOK 27.73

$1.13 ฿37.37

164.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.23 NOK 29.97

$0.74 ฿24.38

336.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 NOK 22.68

$0.50 ฿16.48

390.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.06 NOK 177

$4.28 ฿141

345.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.14 NOK 159

$17.97 ฿594

-4.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.58 NOK 33.18

$1.70 ฿56.1

110.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 NOK 39.84

$2.90 ฿95.7

47.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.58 NOK 42.48

$0.94 ฿31.13

387.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.8 NOK 787

$55.3 ฿1,827

53.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.31 NOK 114

$1.23 ฿40.76

900.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 NOK 17.62

$0.53 ฿17.66

258.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$71.1 NOK 660

$2.40 ฿79.3

2864.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.36 NOK 21.87

$1.44 ฿47.55

63.89%

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

$49.3K NOK 457.0K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

132.43%

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

$38.8K NOK 359.6K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

41.96%

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

$426 NOK 3,954

$64.9 ฿2,145

556.48%

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

$32.58 NOK 302

$13.35 ฿441

144.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 NOK 526

$20.83 ฿688

172.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 NOK 465

$40.42 ฿1,336

23.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.99 NOK 352

$3.95 ฿131

861.77%

Cinema Ticket

$16.36 NOK 152

$6.71 ฿222

143.82%

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

$246 NOK 2,278

$787 ฿26.0K

-68.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K NOK 149.8K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

6.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 NOK 969

$56.2 ฿1,858

85.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.2 NOK 568

$24.95 ฿824

145.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 NOK 1,283

$92.7 ฿3,063

49.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 NOK 1,465

$75.1 ฿2,482

110.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 NOK 11.4K

$484 ฿16.0K

154.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 NOK 9,480

$287 ฿9,491

255.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,015 NOK 18.7K

$910 ฿30.1K

121.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 NOK 15.8K

$531 ฿17.5K

221.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,526 NOK 60.5K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

229.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,254 NOK 39.5K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

193.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,325 NOK 40.1K

$605 ฿20.0K

614.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.96

5.57

-10.95%

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

Last update for Askim: September 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,233 in Askim and $484 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Askim pays 615% 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: $130 in Askim vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $518 vs $242 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 206% in total monthly costs ($2,908 vs $950 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 615% higher in Askim, 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: $1,233 in Askim versus $484 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 $20.00 versus $130 in Askim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,908 per month in Askim versus $950 in Chiang Mai – a 206% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $950 in Chiang Mai versus $2,908 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 206% less than in Askim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.