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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,143 in Baerum, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,942 in Baerum, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $6,740 in Baerum, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 70% cheaper than Baerum, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Baerum is 130% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$21.07 NOK 199

-90.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$127 NOK 1,201

-84.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$16.34 NOK 154

-65.30%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$6.11 NOK 57.5

-70.38%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$4.11 NOK 38.75

-81.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$3.46 NOK 32.59

-89.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$11.92 NOK 112

-81.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$12.65 NOK 119

-70.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$2.44 NOK 23.00

-15.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$3.71 NOK 34.92

-59.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$4.92 NOK 46.38

-71.54%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$5.97 NOK 56.3

-62.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$10.54 NOK 99.3

53.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$15.45 NOK 146

-81.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$29.79 NOK 281

-68.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.67 NOK 25.16

0.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.10 NOK 19.83

-48.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.09 NOK 19.70

-22.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$4.35 NOK 40.99

-66.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.68 NOK 15.80

-23.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$2.87 NOK 27.06

-63.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$3.09 NOK 29.08

-76.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$2.43 NOK 22.94

-78.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$19.23 NOK 181

-78.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$17.02 NOK 160

7.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$3.62 NOK 34.11

-54.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$4.30 NOK 40.52

-32.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$4.48 NOK 42.25

-80.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$12.33 NOK 116

-90.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.83 NOK 17.24

-68.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$72.2 NOK 680

-96.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$2.33 NOK 22.00

-37.77%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$28.6K NOK 269.6K

-26.57%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$26.1K NOK 246.4K

1.07%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$347 NOK 3,266

-81.63%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$33.69 NOK 317

-61.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$55.9 NOK 526

-63.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$53.9 NOK 508

-27.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$15.78 NOK 149

-58.30%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$254 NOK 2,389

209.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$16.1K NOK 151.9K

-8.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$105 NOK 987

-47.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$61.0 NOK 575

-59.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$137 NOK 1,288

-31.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$160 NOK 1,510

-53.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$1,802 NOK 17.0K

-72.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$1,549 NOK 14.6K

-81.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$3,605 NOK 34.0K

-75.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$3,056 NOK 28.8K

-82.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$11.2K NOK 105.2K

-82.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$10.4K NOK 98.4K

-86.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$5,390 NOK 50.8K

-88.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.6

21.09%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Baerum: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $1,802 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 796% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $127 in Baerum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $472 – 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 237%, 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,714 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 $932 in Chiang Mai and $3,143 in Baerum. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $254 in Baerum. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Baerum at $3,143. 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.