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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,557 per month in Baerum vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,928 per month in Baerum vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,298 per month in Baerum vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Baerum costs about 197% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Baerum sits 91% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.61 NOK 247

$1.96 ฿65.7

1206.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 NOK 983

$18.35 ฿616

455.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.15 NOK 127

$7.48 ฿251

75.80%

Cappuccino

$4.98 NOK 47.93

$2.02 ฿67.7

146.53%

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

$2.52 NOK 24.29

$0.85 ฿28.45

196.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 NOK 20.84

$0.36 ฿11.94

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.84 NOK 85.2

$2.14 ฿71.7

313.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.47 NOK 91.2

$3.59 ฿121

163.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 NOK 22.01

$1.65 ฿55.4

38.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 NOK 34.48

$1.57 ฿52.6

128.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 NOK 30.89

$1.19 ฿39.95

169.75%

Eggs

$4.97 NOK 47.90

$1.94 ฿65.0

156.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.42 NOK 110

$16.19 ฿544

-29.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.31 NOK 157

$2.99 ฿100

445.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.23 NOK 301

$10.94 ฿367

185.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 NOK 34.26

$2.71 ฿91.0

31.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 NOK 22.42

$1.17 ฿39.18

99.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 NOK 31.51

$1.69 ฿56.6

93.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 NOK 38.38

$1.60 ฿53.9

148.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 NOK 21.26

$1.38 ฿46.45

60.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 NOK 20.66

$1.20 ฿40.38

78.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.83 NOK 27.27

$0.67 ฿22.46

322.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NOK 17.58

$0.56 ฿18.70

226.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.10 NOK 136

$4.64 ฿156

203.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.21 NOK 175

$17.62 ฿591

3.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.49 NOK 33.58

$1.86 ฿62.4

87.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 NOK 38.66

$3.30 ฿111

21.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.15 NOK 39.95

$0.88 ฿29.63

371.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 NOK 701

$19.34 ฿649

276.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.29 NOK 99.1

$1.36 ฿45.82

656.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 NOK 13.54

$1.34 ฿44.90

5.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.77 NOK 412

$8.21 ฿276

420.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 NOK 20.41

$1.22 ฿41.11

73.77%

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

$26.8K NOK 258.3K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

25.58%

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

$24.3K NOK 233.9K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

7.79%

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

$306 NOK 2,949

$70.7 ฿2,372

333.21%

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

$40.10 NOK 386

$14.04 ฿471

185.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.04 NOK 366

$17.49 ฿587

117.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 NOK 485

$42.15 ฿1,415

19.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.74 NOK 344

$6.88 ฿231

419.48%

Cinema Ticket

$15.21 NOK 146

$5.92 ฿199

156.93%

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

$272 NOK 2,622

$309 ฿10.4K

-11.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K NOK 140.9K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-1.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 NOK 1,014

$55.8 ฿1,872

88.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.64 NOK 449

$26.11 ฿877

78.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.4 NOK 958

$83.0 ฿2,787

19.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 NOK 1,465

$70.5 ฿2,365

115.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 NOK 11.9K

$432 ฿14.5K

185.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$909 NOK 8,758

$239 ฿8,020

280.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 NOK 20.7K

$822 ฿27.6K

161.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 NOK 15.5K

$512 ฿17.2K

214.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,734 NOK 55.2K

$1,915 ฿64.3K

199.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,915 NOK 37.7K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

166.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,193 NOK 50.0K

$579 ฿19.4K

796.24%

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 Baerum: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,232 in Baerum versus $432 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 796% higher in Baerum, 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 $102 in Baerum versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $472 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

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

Yes – Baerum is pricier by about 197%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,836 per month in Baerum and $1,292 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,557 in Baerum and $861 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 276% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Baerum at $2,557. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Baerum it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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