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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,826 in Asker, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,027 in Asker, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai is about 66% cheaper than Asker, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Asker is 105% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$21.14 NOK 196

-90.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$63.0 NOK 584

-68.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$13.02 NOK 121

-55.53%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$6.18 NOK 57.4

-70.39%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$2.88 NOK 26.68

-72.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$1.89 NOK 17.53

-83.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$11.57 NOK 107

-79.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$11.85 NOK 110

-68.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$2.28 NOK 21.15

-10.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$3.35 NOK 31.04

-52.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$3.67 NOK 34.04

-61.31%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$3.62 NOK 33.55

-39.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$3.73 NOK 34.57

326.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$11.88 NOK 110

-74.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$8.72 NOK 80.9

13.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$3.35 NOK 31.05

-21.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$2.69 NOK 24.92

-59.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$3.47 NOK 32.17

-53.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$4.58 NOK 42.48

-66.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$2.68 NOK 24.90

-53.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$2.99 NOK 27.77

-62.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$1.56 NOK 14.50

-52.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$2.18 NOK 20.20

-77.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$19.46 NOK 181

-78.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$16.89 NOK 157

6.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$3.47 NOK 32.16

-51.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$4.25 NOK 39.41

-31.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$4.78 NOK 44.32

-80.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$83.3 NOK 773

-33.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$12.01 NOK 111

-89.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.88 NOK 17.45

-71.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$72.7 NOK 674

-96.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$2.33 NOK 21.58

-38.20%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$48.5K NOK 449.7K

-56.29%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$44.6K NOK 413.3K

-38.72%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$417 NOK 3,868

-84.43%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$32.55 NOK 302

-58.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$32.60 NOK 302

-36.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$51.5 NOK 478

-21.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$37.73 NOK 350

-89.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$16.15 NOK 150

-58.45%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$250 NOK 2,318

214.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$16.1K NOK 149.4K

-6.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$102 NOK 945

-44.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$60.8 NOK 564

-58.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$137 NOK 1,275

-32.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$161 NOK 1,492

-53.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$1,554 NOK 14.4K

-68.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$1,170 NOK 10.9K

-75.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$2,226 NOK 20.6K

-59.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$1,819 NOK 16.9K

-70.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$6,351 NOK 58.9K

-68.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$4,214 NOK 39.1K

-65.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$3,956 NOK 36.7K

-84.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.87

43.93%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Asker: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $1,554 in Asker. 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 554% higher in Asker, 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 $63.0 in Asker. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $358 – 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 Asker: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Asker costs about 197% 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,239 in Asker. 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.

Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $250 in Asker. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% more in Asker, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Asker at $2,826. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Asker it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $2,826 in Asker. 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, Asker makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.