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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,270 per month in Bodo vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,585 per month in Bodo vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,901 per month in Bodo vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bodo costs about 162% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bodo sits 69% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.22 NOK 179

$1.94 ฿63.5

890.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 NOK 952

$18.64 ฿609

450.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.74 NOK 146

$7.82 ฿255

101.28%

Cappuccino

$5.92 NOK 55.0

$1.95 ฿63.8

203.59%

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

$3.60 NOK 33.41

$0.85 ฿27.77

323.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 NOK 28.53

$0.35 ฿11.58

777.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.28 NOK 105

$2.13 ฿69.6

429.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.46 NOK 97.2

$3.73 ฿122

180.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 NOK 21.58

$1.71 ฿56.0

35.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 NOK 27.75

$1.63 ฿53.2

83.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 NOK 29.87

$1.14 ฿37.15

182.46%

Eggs

$4.68 NOK 43.51

$1.93 ฿63.1

142.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.10 NOK 112

$16.21 ฿530

-25.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.79 NOK 156

$3.12 ฿102

438.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.45 NOK 153

$10.90 ฿356

50.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 NOK 29.50

$2.75 ฿90.0

15.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 NOK 21.85

$1.21 ฿39.52

94.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NOK 28.01

$1.62 ฿53.0

86.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.63 NOK 52.3

$1.59 ฿51.8

254.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 NOK 23.65

$1.40 ฿45.70

82.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 NOK 23.70

$1.17 ฿38.17

117.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.56 NOK 33.11

$0.66 ฿21.60

439.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 NOK 19.66

$0.53 ฿17.22

300.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.09 NOK 131

$4.69 ฿153

200.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.76 NOK 184

$18.66 ฿609

5.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 NOK 27.92

$1.80 ฿58.8

67.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 NOK 36.54

$3.23 ฿106

21.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.31 NOK 40.02

$0.90 ฿29.26

378.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.7 NOK 489

$19.21 ฿628

174.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.95 NOK 83.2

$1.41 ฿45.91

534.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 NOK 13.04

$1.29 ฿42.12

8.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.30 NOK 430

$7.84 ฿256

490.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 NOK 19.83

$1.27 ฿41.58

68.50%

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

$35.8K NOK 332.5K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

68.20%

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

$37.8K NOK 351.3K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

70.23%

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

$144 NOK 1,337

$69.1 ฿2,256

108.43%

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

$24.85 NOK 231

$14.08 ฿460

76.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 NOK 589

$18.00 ฿588

252.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.72 NOK 462

$41.06 ฿1,341

21.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.00 NOK 325

$6.96 ฿227

402.87%

Cinema Ticket

$12.99 NOK 121

$5.92 ฿193

119.43%

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

$397 NOK 3,684

$299 ฿9,766

32.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K NOK 94.5K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-31.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 NOK 646

$54.7 ฿1,787

27.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 NOK 484

$26.77 ฿874

94.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 NOK 1,014

$85.0 ฿2,776

28.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 NOK 1,384

$70.6 ฿2,306

110.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 NOK 8,912

$428 ฿14.0K

124.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$878 NOK 8,153

$237 ฿7,752

269.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,104 NOK 19.5K

$801 ฿26.2K

162.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 NOK 15.3K

$515 ฿16.8K

219.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,078 NOK 56.5K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

207.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,914 NOK 45.6K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

233.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,685 NOK 34.2K

$617 ฿20.2K

496.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

-24.00%

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

Last update for Bodo: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $959 in Bodo versus $428 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 497% higher in Bodo, 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 $103 in Bodo versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $246 – 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

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

Bodo costs about 162% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,405 per month in Bodo and $1,300 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 $2,270 in Bodo and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 174% 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 $866, than in Bodo at $2,270. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bodo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $2,270 in Bodo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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