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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $950 in Chiang Mai versus $2,942 in Bergen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Chiang Mai versus $4,473 in Bergen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Chiang Mai versus $6,004 in Bergen.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 68% less than in Bergen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 31% below, Bergen is 113% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$24.62 NOK 228

-91.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$140 NOK 1,294

-85.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$16.47 NOK 153

-64.85%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$5.92 NOK 54.9

-69.09%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$5.17 NOK 48.00

-84.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$4.63 NOK 42.96

-93.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$12.94 NOK 120

-81.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$10.70 NOK 99.3

-65.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$2.48 NOK 22.99

-18.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$3.82 NOK 35.42

-58.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$3.47 NOK 32.20

-59.08%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$6.75 NOK 62.6

-67.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$15.20 NOK 141

4.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$17.60 NOK 163

-82.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$35.27 NOK 327

-72.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$4.13 NOK 38.35

-36.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$2.86 NOK 26.52

-61.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$3.60 NOK 33.43

-54.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$5.80 NOK 53.8

-73.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$2.52 NOK 23.33

-50.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$3.34 NOK 31.01

-66.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$2.93 NOK 27.19

-74.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$2.06 NOK 19.07

-75.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$18.04 NOK 167

-76.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$18.63 NOK 173

-3.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$3.56 NOK 33.06

-52.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$4.27 NOK 39.64

-32.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$5.21 NOK 48.37

-81.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$89.0 NOK 826

-37.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$12.91 NOK 120

-90.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.90 NOK 17.66

-72.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$75.3 NOK 698

-96.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$2.36 NOK 21.94

-38.98%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$49.9K NOK 463.0K

-57.53%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$44.8K NOK 415.9K

-39.10%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$296 NOK 2,747

-78.08%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$31.98 NOK 297

-58.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$78.9 NOK 732

-73.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$45.57 NOK 423

-11.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$44.44 NOK 412

-91.11%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$19.31 NOK 179

-65.25%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$250 NOK 2,323

214.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$12.3K NOK 114.1K

22.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$109 NOK 1,013

-48.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$55.7 NOK 516

-55.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$122 NOK 1,128

-23.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$171 NOK 1,588

-56.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$1,542 NOK 14.3K

-68.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$1,118 NOK 10.4K

-74.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$2,485 NOK 23.1K

-63.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$1,767 NOK 16.4K

-69.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$7,803 NOK 72.4K

-74.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$4,910 NOK 45.5K

-70.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$4,848 NOK 45.0K

-87.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.31

4.90%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bergen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Chiang Mai and $1,542 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 701% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $140 in Bergen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $539 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 Bergen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 210% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 701% lower in Bergen. 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: $484 in Chiang Mai versus $1,542 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $787 in Chiang Mai versus $250 in Bergen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 122% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $950 in Chiang Mai versus $2,942 in Bergen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bergen. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bergen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Bergen 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 210% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.