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 $3,237 per month in Baerum vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,958 per month in Baerum vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,679 per month in Baerum vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Baerum costs about 242% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Baerum sits 136% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.09 NOK 197

$2.08 ฿69.2

913.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$130 NOK 1,213

$19.64 ฿651

562.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.22 NOK 151

$5.65 ฿188

187.08%

Cappuccino

$5.94 NOK 55.3

$1.81 ฿59.9

228.18%

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

$4.15 NOK 38.69

$0.71 ฿23.66

484.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 NOK 33.05

$0.32 ฿10.48

1009.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.95 NOK 111

$2.24 ฿74.2

433.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.60 NOK 117

$3.63 ฿121

247.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 NOK 23.37

$1.96 ฿65.0

28.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.82 NOK 35.59

$1.50 ฿49.83

154.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 NOK 43.76

$1.34 ฿44.32

250.75%

Eggs

$5.84 NOK 54.4

$2.26 ฿75.1

158.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.92 NOK 102

$16.26 ฿539

-32.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.69 NOK 146

$2.95 ฿98.0

431.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.26 NOK 282

$9.94 ฿330

204.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 NOK 25.50

$2.57 ฿85.3

6.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 NOK 19.59

$1.06 ฿35.04

98.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 NOK 19.77

$1.61 ฿53.5

31.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 NOK 39.34

$1.52 ฿50.4

177.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 NOK 15.59

$1.27 ฿42.14

31.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 NOK 26.90

$1.07 ฿35.37

170.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.19 NOK 29.70

$0.72 ฿23.89

343.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 NOK 23.34

$0.51 ฿16.87

392.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.29 NOK 180

$4.19 ฿139

360.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.53 NOK 154

$17.87 ฿593

-7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.48 NOK 32.46

$1.69 ฿56.2

105.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 NOK 39.68

$2.84 ฿94.1

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.47 NOK 41.62

$0.93 ฿30.70

380.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.37 NOK 115

$1.23 ฿40.95

905.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 NOK 17.30

$0.58 ฿19.13

220.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$70.9 NOK 661

$2.42 ฿80.4

2830.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.34 NOK 21.77

$1.41 ฿46.84

65.96%

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

$28.4K NOK 264.2K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

32.23%

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

$25.4K NOK 236.3K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

-7.22%

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

$349 NOK 3,254

$63.7 ฿2,112

448.55%

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

$32.91 NOK 307

$12.85 ฿426

156.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 NOK 547

$20.22 ฿671

190.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 NOK 508

$38.74 ฿1,285

40.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

Cinema Ticket

$15.74 NOK 147

$6.74 ฿223

133.53%

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

$252 NOK 2,350

$778 ฿25.8K

-67.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K NOK 145.7K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

7.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 NOK 969

$54.3 ฿1,801

91.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 NOK 584

$25.45 ฿844

146.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 NOK 1,275

$94.3 ฿3,129

45.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 NOK 1,485

$73.4 ฿2,436

116.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,739 NOK 16.2K

$490 ฿16.2K

255.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 NOK 14.1K

$289 ฿9,596

421.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,501 NOK 32.6K

$894 ฿29.6K

291.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,979 NOK 27.8K

$517 ฿17.1K

476.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.3K NOK 105.0K

$1,955 ฿64.9K

476.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.5K NOK 97.9K

$1,477 ฿49.0K

611.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,568 NOK 51.9K

$602 ฿20.0K

824.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

5.57

-17.41%

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

Last update for Baerum: September 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,739 in Baerum 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 825% 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 $130 in Baerum versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $476 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

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

Yes – Baerum is pricier by about 242%, 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 $4,855 per month in Baerum 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,237 in Baerum and $947 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $252 per month in Baerum and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Baerum at $3,237. 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.