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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,907 in Bergen versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,400 in Bergen versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,894 in Bergen versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bergen is roughly 207% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bergen is 112% above, Chiang Mai is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.49 NOK 238

$2.08 ฿69.2

1125.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$141 NOK 1,309

$19.64 ฿651

615.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.21 NOK 151

$5.65 ฿188

186.90%

Cappuccino

$5.63 NOK 52.5

$1.81 ฿59.9

211.05%

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

$5.28 NOK 49.18

$0.71 ฿23.66

643.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 NOK 44.12

$0.32 ฿10.48

1381.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.91 NOK 120

$2.24 ฿74.2

476.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.52 NOK 98.0

$3.63 ฿121

189.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.48 NOK 23.08

$1.96 ฿65.0

26.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.83 NOK 35.70

$1.50 ฿49.83

155.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.58 NOK 33.31

$1.34 ฿44.32

167.16%

Eggs

$6.70 NOK 62.5

$2.26 ฿75.1

196.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.27 NOK 142

$16.26 ฿539

-6.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.52 NOK 163

$2.95 ฿98.0

493.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.05 NOK 327

$9.94 ฿330

252.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 NOK 39.28

$2.57 ฿85.3

64.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 NOK 25.26

$1.06 ฿35.04

155.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 NOK 34.67

$1.61 ฿53.5

131.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.61 NOK 52.3

$1.52 ฿50.4

269.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 NOK 23.82

$1.27 ฿42.14

101.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.48 NOK 32.38

$1.07 ฿35.37

225.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.03 NOK 28.22

$0.72 ฿23.89

320.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 NOK 18.50

$0.51 ฿16.87

290.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.89 NOK 167

$4.19 ฿139

326.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.74 NOK 175

$17.87 ฿593

4.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.62 NOK 33.70

$1.69 ฿56.2

114.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 NOK 39.52

$2.84 ฿94.1

49.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.17 NOK 48.14

$0.93 ฿30.70

455.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.2 NOK 840

$53.9 ฿1,787

67.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.70 NOK 118

$1.23 ฿40.95

932.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 NOK 17.74

$0.58 ฿19.13

227.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$73.1 NOK 681

$2.42 ฿80.4

2922.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 NOK 20.90

$1.41 ฿46.84

58.87%

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

$49.8K NOK 463.6K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

132.04%

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

$43.8K NOK 408.1K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

60.24%

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

$286 NOK 2,662

$63.7 ฿2,112

348.78%

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

$31.94 NOK 298

$12.85 ฿426

148.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.6 NOK 732

$20.22 ฿671

288.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.64 NOK 416

$38.74 ฿1,285

15.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.59 NOK 406

$3.97 ฿132

997.98%

Cinema Ticket

$19.25 NOK 179

$6.74 ฿223

185.61%

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

$241 NOK 2,242

$778 ฿25.8K

-69.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K NOK 111.3K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-18.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 NOK 994

$54.3 ฿1,801

96.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 NOK 506

$25.45 ฿844

113.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 NOK 1,145

$94.3 ฿3,129

30.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 NOK 1,576

$73.4 ฿2,436

130.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,514 NOK 14.1K

$490 ฿16.2K

209.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,119 NOK 10.4K

$289 ฿9,596

286.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,489 NOK 23.2K

$894 ฿29.6K

178.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,758 NOK 16.4K

$517 ฿17.1K

240.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,741 NOK 72.1K

$1,955 ฿64.9K

295.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,935 NOK 46.0K

$1,477 ฿49.0K

234.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,828 NOK 45.0K

$602 ฿20.0K

701.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

5.57

-4.67%

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

Last update for Bergen: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,514 in Bergen and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 702% 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: $141 in Bergen vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $538 vs $240 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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 207% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 702% higher in Bergen, 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: $1,514 in Bergen versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $241 in Bergen versus $778 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 124% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $2,907 in Bergen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bergen. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bergen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bergen 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 207% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.