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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,218 in Arendal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $3,391 in Arendal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $4,563 in Arendal.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 61% less than in Arendal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 35% below, Arendal is 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$17.87 NOK 166

-89.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$75.4 NOK 700

-75.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$14.93 NOK 139

-47.62%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$5.17 NOK 48.00

-62.28%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$3.18 NOK 29.50

-73.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$3.06 NOK 28.47

-88.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$11.16 NOK 104

-80.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$10.17 NOK 94.5

-63.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.37 NOK 21.98

-27.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$3.06 NOK 28.41

-46.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$3.59 NOK 33.39

-68.25%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$4.33 NOK 40.26

-55.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$13.22 NOK 123

22.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$15.42 NOK 143

-79.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$27.81 NOK 258

-60.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.44 NOK 31.98

-20.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.52 NOK 23.40

-51.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$3.01 NOK 27.93

-46.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$4.75 NOK 44.13

-66.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.12 NOK 19.74

-33.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.93 NOK 27.17

-60.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$2.52 NOK 23.45

-73.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.78 NOK 16.52

-70.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$14.98 NOK 139

-68.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$18.12 NOK 168

2.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$3.33 NOK 30.92

-45.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$4.02 NOK 37.37

-19.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$3.83 NOK 35.57

-76.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$103 NOK 957

-81.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$7.88 NOK 73.2

-82.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$2.05 NOK 19.02

-37.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$29.93 NOK 278

-73.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$2.10 NOK 19.55

-39.52%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$34.5K NOK 320.8K

-38.38%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$32.7K NOK 304.1K

-32.14%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$187 NOK 1,734

-63.00%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$35.07 NOK 326

-59.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$73.6 NOK 683

-75.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$43.98 NOK 409

-6.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$53.8 NOK 499

-87.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$11.98 NOK 111

-50.58%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$302 NOK 2,801

-0.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$10.1K NOK 93.6K

48.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$95.5 NOK 887

-42.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$59.1 NOK 549

-54.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$105 NOK 973

-18.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$156 NOK 1,449

-54.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$1,100 NOK 10.2K

-61.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$695 NOK 6,455

-65.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,295 NOK 12.0K

-38.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,145 NOK 10.6K

-54.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$3,174 NOK 29.5K

-37.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$2,170 NOK 20.2K

-32.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$4,262 NOK 39.6K

-85.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.6

38.89%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Arendal: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $1,100 in Arendal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arendal pays 590% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $75.0 in Arendal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $459 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

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

Chiang Mai and Arendal differ by about 156% in total monthly costs ($866 vs $2,218 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Arendal earns 590% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,100 in Arendal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $299 in Chiang Mai versus $302 in Arendal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 86% higher in Arendal. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,218 in Arendal, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Arendal. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Arendal 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 156% less than in Arendal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.