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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,242 in Alesund, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,326 in Alesund, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,409 in Alesund, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 61% cheaper than Alesund, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Alesund is 67% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$19.85 NOK 184

-90.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$85.4 NOK 794

-78.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$12.95 NOK 120

-39.61%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.95 NOK 36.66

-50.63%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$2.02 NOK 18.79

-57.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$2.19 NOK 20.32

-84.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$10.94 NOK 102

-80.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$9.25 NOK 85.9

-59.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.39 NOK 22.22

-28.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.95 NOK 27.39

-44.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.89 NOK 26.82

-60.55%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$3.99 NOK 37.02

-51.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$14.13 NOK 131

14.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$13.66 NOK 127

-77.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$22.52 NOK 209

-51.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.74 NOK 25.45

0.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.33 NOK 21.63

-48.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.16 NOK 20.09

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$3.68 NOK 34.19

-56.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.69 NOK 24.96

-47.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.73 NOK 16.05

-32.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$2.80 NOK 26.05

-76.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$2.14 NOK 19.89

-75.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$13.59 NOK 126

-65.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$18.84 NOK 175

-0.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$3.28 NOK 30.49

-45.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$4.24 NOK 39.40

-23.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$4.53 NOK 42.09

-80.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$65.5 NOK 609

-70.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$12.10 NOK 112

-88.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$2.07 NOK 19.26

-37.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$73.6 NOK 684

-89.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$2.19 NOK 20.35

-42.01%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$36.0K NOK 334.2K

-40.86%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$43.3K NOK 402.3K

-48.70%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$242 NOK 2,251

-71.49%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$39.19 NOK 364

-64.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$40.94 NOK 380

-56.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$58.0 NOK 539

-29.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$29.85 NOK 277

-76.68%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$17.00 NOK 158

-65.18%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$266 NOK 2,468

12.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$2,461 NOK 22.9K

507.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$84.1 NOK 781

-34.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$43.85 NOK 407

-38.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$110 NOK 1,022

-22.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$136 NOK 1,264

-48.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$968 NOK 8,988

-55.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$782 NOK 7,262

-69.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,384 NOK 12.9K

-42.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,166 NOK 10.8K

-55.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$4,672 NOK 43.4K

-57.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$2,516 NOK 23.4K

-41.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$4,349 NOK 40.4K

-85.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.03

24.07%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Alesund: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $968 in Alesund. 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 604% higher in Alesund, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $85.0 in Alesund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $425 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai, $2,242 in Alesund – roughly 159% apart. Alesund costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,363 in Alesund. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $85.0 in Alesund. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $866 in Chiang Mai and $2,242 in Alesund. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Alesund at $2,242. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alesund it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $866 in Chiang Mai to $2,242 in Alesund. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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