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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,560 in Baerum, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,853 in Baerum, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,146 in Baerum, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Baerum is 91% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$25.44 NOK 236

-92.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$103 NOK 959

-81.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$13.54 NOK 126

-42.25%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$5.07 NOK 47.08

-61.54%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$2.52 NOK 23.37

-66.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$2.13 NOK 19.75

-83.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$8.96 NOK 83.2

-76.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$9.87 NOK 91.7

-62.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.29 NOK 21.27

-25.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$3.56 NOK 33.07

-54.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$3.16 NOK 29.35

-63.92%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$5.03 NOK 46.70

-61.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.44 NOK 106

41.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$15.92 NOK 148

-80.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$31.04 NOK 288

-64.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.57 NOK 33.14

-22.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.32 NOK 21.51

-47.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$3.32 NOK 30.83

-51.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$4.19 NOK 38.89

-62.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.30 NOK 21.33

-39.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.23 NOK 20.68

-47.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$2.85 NOK 26.50

-76.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.82 NOK 16.90

-70.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$14.05 NOK 131

-66.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$19.53 NOK 181

-4.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$3.47 NOK 32.22

-48.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$4.03 NOK 37.45

-19.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$4.13 NOK 38.41

-78.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$73.5 NOK 683

-73.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$9.95 NOK 92.4

-85.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.44 NOK 13.42

-10.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$42.95 NOK 399

-81.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$2.13 NOK 19.75

-40.38%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$27.9K NOK 258.8K

-23.61%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$24.6K NOK 228.9K

-9.85%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$305 NOK 2,829

-77.32%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$41.01 NOK 381

-65.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$37.37 NOK 347

-51.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$50.5 NOK 469

-18.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$35.85 NOK 333

-80.59%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$15.44 NOK 143

-61.66%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$268 NOK 2,488

11.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$14.9K NOK 138.5K

0.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$105 NOK 977

-48.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$47.13 NOK 438

-43.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$99.7 NOK 926

-14.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$152 NOK 1,410

-53.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$1,216 NOK 11.3K

-64.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$908 NOK 8,438

-73.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$2,140 NOK 19.9K

-62.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,613 NOK 15.0K

-68.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$6,036 NOK 56.1K

-67.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$4,455 NOK 41.4K

-66.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$5,515 NOK 51.2K

-88.80%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Baerum: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,216 in Baerum. 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 793% higher in Baerum, 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 $103 in Baerum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $473 – 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 Baerum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Baerum is pricier by about 195%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,840 in Baerum. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $866 in Chiang Mai and $2,560 in Baerum. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 283% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Baerum at $2,560. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Baerum it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Baerum makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.