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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,213 in Elverum, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,480 in Elverum, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,748 in Elverum, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 61% cheaper than Elverum, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Elverum is 66% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$22.42 NOK 216

-91.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$102 NOK 983

-82.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$11.47 NOK 111

-34.79%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$4.43 NOK 42.73

-54.40%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$3.61 NOK 34.80

-76.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$2.90 NOK 27.99

-87.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$10.72 NOK 103

-80.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$8.08 NOK 77.9

-55.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.14 NOK 10.99

44.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$3.47 NOK 33.43

-54.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$3.93 NOK 37.89

-69.72%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.84 NOK 17.73

5.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$7.04 NOK 67.8

129.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$12.22 NOK 118

-75.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$25.00 NOK 241

-56.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.03 NOK 9.95

163.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$2.99 NOK 28.83

-60.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.49 NOK 14.36

13.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.49 NOK 14.42

7.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.04 NOK 10.03

32.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.98 NOK 9.49

22.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$2.50 NOK 24.10

-73.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$2.43 NOK 23.41

-76.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$14.44 NOK 139

-67.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$17.70 NOK 171

-0.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$3.82 NOK 36.86

-51.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$4.73 NOK 45.60

-30.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$4.22 NOK 40.72

-79.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$73.0 NOK 704

-73.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$15.01 NOK 145

-90.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$2.19 NOK 21.07

-38.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$90.2 NOK 869

-90.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$2.12 NOK 20.42

-42.45%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$31.8K NOK 307.1K

-32.94%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$35.9K NOK 346.5K

-37.31%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$102 NOK 984

-30.72%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$41.58 NOK 401

-66.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$65.6 NOK 632

-73.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$49.71 NOK 479

-15.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$36.10 NOK 348

-80.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$12.32 NOK 119

-51.95%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$319 NOK 3,080

-3.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$8,468 NOK 81.7K

75.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$109 NOK 1,054

-48.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$49.19 NOK 474

-46.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$125 NOK 1,209

-33.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$129 NOK 1,249

-45.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$1,226 NOK 11.8K

-64.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$884 NOK 8,526

-72.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$1,832 NOK 17.7K

-55.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$1,509 NOK 14.5K

-66.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$5,711 NOK 55.1K

-66.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$3,995 NOK 38.5K

-63.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$4,076 NOK 39.3K

-85.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

15.74%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Elverum: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $1,226 in Elverum. 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 603% higher in Elverum, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $102 in Elverum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $371 – 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 Elverum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Elverum costs about 157% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,319 in Elverum. 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.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $319 in Elverum. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% more in Elverum, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Elverum at $2,213. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Elverum it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $2,213 in Elverum. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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