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: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $2,650 in Bergen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $3,988 in Bergen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $5,327 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 36% below, Bergen is 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$25.72 NOK 249

-92.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$103 NOK 997

-82.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$19.51 NOK 189

-61.66%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$5.42 NOK 52.4

-62.73%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$3.20 NOK 30.94

-73.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$2.89 NOK 27.97

-87.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$11.82 NOK 114

-81.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$9.78 NOK 94.6

-63.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$2.65 NOK 25.63

-37.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$3.28 NOK 31.70

-52.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$2.88 NOK 27.87

-58.68%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$4.90 NOK 47.40

-60.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$14.20 NOK 137

14.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$16.06 NOK 155

-81.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$28.21 NOK 273

-61.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.94 NOK 38.13

-31.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$2.96 NOK 28.62

-60.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$3.75 NOK 36.30

-54.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$5.62 NOK 54.4

-71.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$2.73 NOK 26.38

-49.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$2.91 NOK 28.14

-58.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$2.80 NOK 27.10

-76.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$2.14 NOK 20.72

-73.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$16.95 NOK 164

-72.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$17.26 NOK 167

2.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$3.30 NOK 31.92

-43.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$4.38 NOK 42.33

-24.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$4.47 NOK 43.23

-80.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$81.2 NOK 785

-76.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$15.23 NOK 147

-91.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$2.25 NOK 21.74

-40.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$72.5 NOK 701

-88.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$2.13 NOK 20.59

-42.72%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$35.3K NOK 341.6K

-39.58%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$43.1K NOK 416.5K

-47.71%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$242 NOK 2,342

-70.83%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$38.51 NOK 372

-63.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$64.7 NOK 625

-72.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$53.9 NOK 521

-21.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$40.36 NOK 390

-82.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$20.20 NOK 195

-70.69%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$286 NOK 2,763

7.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$12.6K NOK 121.4K

18.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$91.1 NOK 881

-38.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$55.5 NOK 537

-52.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$111 NOK 1,075

-25.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$145 NOK 1,405

-51.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$1,284 NOK 12.4K

-66.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$976 NOK 9,431

-75.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$2,019 NOK 19.5K

-59.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$1,558 NOK 15.1K

-67.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$7,575 NOK 73.2K

-74.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$4,645 NOK 44.9K

-68.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$4,344 NOK 42.0K

-86.66%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bergen: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $1,284 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 650% 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: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $103 in Bergen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $489 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 208% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 650% 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: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $1,284 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Chiang Mai versus $286 in Bergen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 101% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $2,650 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 208% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.