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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,358 in Alesund, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,793 in Alesund, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,228 in Alesund, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 60% cheaper than Alesund, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Alesund is 71% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$21.93 NOK 203

-90.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$92.7 NOK 860

-78.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$13.58 NOK 126

-57.36%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$4.28 NOK 39.66

-57.24%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$2.18 NOK 20.24

-64.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$2.33 NOK 21.64

-86.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$11.78 NOK 109

-80.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$9.46 NOK 87.8

-60.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$2.43 NOK 22.56

-16.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$3.11 NOK 28.89

-48.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$3.25 NOK 30.18

-56.31%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$4.48 NOK 41.60

-51.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$15.45 NOK 143

2.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$14.37 NOK 133

-78.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$21.50 NOK 199

-54.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.70 NOK 25.03

-2.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$2.47 NOK 22.91

-55.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$2.27 NOK 21.03

-28.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$3.79 NOK 35.14

-59.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$2.52 NOK 23.42

-50.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.60 NOK 14.87

-29.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$3.06 NOK 28.37

-75.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$1.99 NOK 18.43

-74.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$15.50 NOK 144

-72.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$18.75 NOK 174

-4.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$3.58 NOK 33.25

-52.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$4.05 NOK 37.56

-28.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$5.15 NOK 47.79

-81.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$90.1 NOK 836

-38.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$12.66 NOK 117

-90.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.97 NOK 18.29

-73.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$74.9 NOK 695

-96.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$2.24 NOK 20.75

-35.71%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$50.2K NOK 465.7K

-57.78%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$43.9K NOK 407.3K

-37.81%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$295 NOK 2,737

-77.99%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$32.10 NOK 298

-58.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$61.2 NOK 568

-65.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$61.4 NOK 570

-34.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$32.75 NOK 304

-87.94%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$18.22 NOK 169

-63.17%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$244 NOK 2,268

221.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$2,625 NOK 24.3K

476.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$89.3 NOK 828

-37.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$45.98 NOK 427

-45.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$118 NOK 1,098

-21.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$148 NOK 1,369

-49.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$1,103 NOK 10.2K

-56.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$808 NOK 7,492

-64.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$1,177 NOK 10.9K

-22.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$1,668 NOK 15.5K

-68.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$4,642 NOK 43.1K

-57.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$2,500 NOK 23.2K

-41.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$4,347 NOK 40.3K

-86.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.22

31.99%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Alesund: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $1,103 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 618% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $93.0 in Alesund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $436 – 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: $950 in Chiang Mai, $2,358 in Alesund – roughly 148% apart. Alesund costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,537 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $93.0 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 $950 in Chiang Mai and $2,358 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 $950, than in Alesund at $2,358. 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 $950 in Chiang Mai to $2,358 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.