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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,739 in Asker, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,011 in Asker, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,282 in Asker, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 69% cheaper than Asker, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Asker is 106% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$25.36 NOK 243

-91.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$102 NOK 978

-81.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$13.38 NOK 128

-41.26%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$4.93 NOK 47.31

-58.82%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$2.76 NOK 26.48

-71.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$2.15 NOK 20.61

-83.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$11.18 NOK 107

-80.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$9.37 NOK 89.9

-60.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$2.13 NOK 20.45

-18.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$3.30 NOK 31.70

-52.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$3.53 NOK 33.83

-66.01%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$4.32 NOK 41.46

-54.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$11.38 NOK 109

42.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$14.26 NOK 137

-78.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$31.82 NOK 305

-66.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$3.82 NOK 36.65

-27.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$2.53 NOK 24.28

-53.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$3.31 NOK 31.79

-48.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$4.33 NOK 41.53

-63.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$2.47 NOK 23.66

-43.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$2.48 NOK 23.77

-53.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$2.74 NOK 26.27

-75.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$2.00 NOK 19.20

-74.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$14.12 NOK 135

-67.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$18.05 NOK 173

-1.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$3.41 NOK 32.72

-47.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$4.40 NOK 42.24

-24.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$4.21 NOK 40.37

-78.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$78.1 NOK 749

-76.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$10.03 NOK 96.2

-85.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$1.39 NOK 13.31

-3.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$42.94 NOK 412

-81.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$2.28 NOK 21.86

-46.05%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$36.8K NOK 353.3K

-41.80%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$42.2K NOK 404.9K

-48.30%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$221 NOK 2,115

-67.65%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$30.65 NOK 294

-54.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$38.08 NOK 365

-52.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$49.81 NOK 478

-18.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$35.47 NOK 340

-80.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$15.10 NOK 145

-62.12%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$268 NOK 2,574

14.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$14.9K NOK 143.2K

-1.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$102 NOK 979

-45.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$46.85 NOK 449

-44.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$122 NOK 1,167

-30.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$149 NOK 1,430

-52.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$1,517 NOK 14.6K

-72.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$1,225 NOK 11.8K

-80.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$2,217 NOK 21.3K

-64.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$1,720 NOK 16.5K

-70.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$9,615 NOK 92.2K

-80.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$4,008 NOK 38.4K

-63.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$3,885 NOK 37.3K

-84.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

14.16%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Asker: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,517 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 553% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $102 in Asker. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $465 – 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 221% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,109 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $268 in Asker. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 90% 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 $852, than in Asker at $2,739. 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 $852 versus $2,739 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.