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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $845 in Chiang Mai versus $2,552 in Askim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,323 in Chiang Mai versus $3,982 in Askim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,802 in Chiang Mai versus $5,412 in Askim.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 67% less than in Askim, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 37% below, Askim is 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$25.08 NOK 233

-92.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$120 NOK 1,119

-84.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$15.02 NOK 140

-50.07%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$5.09 NOK 47.32

-62.08%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$4.14 NOK 38.55

-81.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$3.37 NOK 31.32

-90.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$12.11 NOK 113

-82.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$11.35 NOK 106

-67.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$2.39 NOK 22.26

-28.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$3.97 NOK 36.94

-60.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$3.63 NOK 33.76

-67.49%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$5.21 NOK 48.46

-62.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$13.61 NOK 127

17.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$16.35 NOK 152

-80.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$31.42 NOK 292

-65.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$3.52 NOK 32.74

-25.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$2.52 NOK 23.47

-53.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$3.31 NOK 30.78

-50.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$5.04 NOK 46.83

-69.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$2.51 NOK 23.35

-45.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$2.58 NOK 24.00

-54.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$2.82 NOK 26.23

-76.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$2.40 NOK 22.36

-78.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$17.00 NOK 158

-73.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$18.88 NOK 176

-2.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$3.49 NOK 32.46

-48.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$4.32 NOK 40.17

-26.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$4.22 NOK 39.25

-78.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$73.7 NOK 685

-74.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$9.98 NOK 92.9

-85.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$1.45 NOK 13.47

-9.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$41.73 NOK 388

-80.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$2.28 NOK 21.25

-43.86%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$35.8K NOK 333.2K

-40.56%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$36.1K NOK 335.7K

-39.87%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$297 NOK 2,765

-76.73%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$31.29 NOK 291

-55.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$56.0 NOK 521

-67.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$49.64 NOK 462

-14.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$35.83 NOK 333

-81.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$15.00 NOK 140

-60.53%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$275 NOK 2,553

8.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$14.7K NOK 137.0K

0.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$102 NOK 946

-44.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$65.0 NOK 605

-58.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$122 NOK 1,131

-30.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$164 NOK 1,525

-56.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$1,192 NOK 11.1K

-63.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$905 NOK 8,417

-73.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$1,798 NOK 16.7K

-55.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$1,554 NOK 14.5K

-67.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$5,987 NOK 55.7K

-66.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$4,471 NOK 41.6K

-65.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$4,165 NOK 38.7K

-84.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

-1.57%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Last update for Askim: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $435 in Chiang Mai and $1,192 in Askim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Askim pays 563% 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: $18 in Chiang Mai vs $120 in Askim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $504 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 Askim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Askim differ by about 202% in total monthly costs ($845 vs $2,552 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Askim earns 563% 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: $435 in Chiang Mai versus $1,192 in Askim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $120 in Askim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $845 per month in Chiang Mai versus $2,552 in Askim – a 202% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $845 in Chiang Mai versus $2,552 in Askim, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Askim. 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 Askim 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 202% less than in Askim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.