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: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,605 in Bergen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $3,923 in Bergen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $5,240 in Bergen.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 35% below, Bergen is 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$25.78 NOK 241

-92.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$100 NOK 935

-81.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$18.96 NOK 177

-58.76%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$5.36 NOK 50.1

-63.62%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$3.21 NOK 30.01

-73.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$3.03 NOK 28.28

-88.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$11.53 NOK 108

-81.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$9.67 NOK 90.3

-61.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.64 NOK 24.62

-35.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$3.36 NOK 31.36

-51.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.90 NOK 27.05

-60.69%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$5.11 NOK 47.68

-62.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$13.96 NOK 130

16.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$16.06 NOK 150

-80.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$28.05 NOK 262

-61.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.75 NOK 35.01

-26.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.94 NOK 27.43

-58.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$3.61 NOK 33.73

-55.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$5.52 NOK 51.5

-71.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.72 NOK 25.37

-48.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.77 NOK 25.85

-57.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$2.85 NOK 26.58

-76.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$2.15 NOK 20.05

-75.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$16.93 NOK 158

-72.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$18.39 NOK 172

1.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$3.35 NOK 31.24

-46.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$4.27 NOK 39.87

-24.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$4.56 NOK 42.61

-80.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$80.5 NOK 752

-76.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$15.36 NOK 143

-90.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$2.28 NOK 21.25

-43.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$72.7 NOK 679

-89.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$2.16 NOK 20.21

-41.20%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$35.0K NOK 326.8K

-39.22%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$43.6K NOK 406.8K

-49.02%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$238 NOK 2,218

-70.93%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$38.16 NOK 356

-63.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$64.1 NOK 598

-71.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$55.2 NOK 516

-25.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$40.59 NOK 379

-82.85%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$19.99 NOK 187

-70.39%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$281 NOK 2,623

6.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$12.9K NOK 120.7K

15.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$90.5 NOK 845

-39.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$55.0 NOK 513

-51.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$111 NOK 1,039

-23.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$147 NOK 1,376

-52.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$1,275 NOK 11.9K

-66.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$997 NOK 9,309

-76.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$2,004 NOK 18.7K

-60.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,576 NOK 14.7K

-67.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$7,998 NOK 74.7K

-75.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$4,773 NOK 44.6K

-69.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$4,646 NOK 43.4K

-86.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

3.09%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bergen: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $1,275 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 652% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $100 in Bergen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $490 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, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 201% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Bergen earns 652% 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: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,275 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $299 in Chiang Mai versus $281 in Bergen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 99% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,605 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 201% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.