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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,258 in Elverum, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,476 in Elverum, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,693 in Elverum, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 62% cheaper than Elverum, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Elverum is 69% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$22.46 NOK 209

-91.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$102 NOK 952

-81.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$11.48 NOK 107

-31.88%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$4.67 NOK 43.39

-58.24%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$3.55 NOK 33.02

-76.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$2.99 NOK 27.78

-88.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$10.79 NOK 100

-80.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$8.03 NOK 74.6

-53.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.08 NOK 10.06

58.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$3.57 NOK 33.17

-54.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$3.92 NOK 36.39

-70.92%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.80 NOK 16.76

7.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.27 NOK 67.5

122.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$11.95 NOK 111

-73.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$25.08 NOK 233

-56.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.03 NOK 9.55

166.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.89 NOK 26.82

-58.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.56 NOK 14.45

3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.49 NOK 13.88

6.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.03 NOK 9.60

35.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.99 NOK 9.21

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$2.49 NOK 23.15

-73.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$2.53 NOK 23.53

-79.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$14.48 NOK 135

-67.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$18.71 NOK 174

-0.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$3.80 NOK 35.34

-52.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$4.62 NOK 42.88

-30.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$4.35 NOK 40.45

-79.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$73.7 NOK 685

-73.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$15.15 NOK 141

-90.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$2.15 NOK 20.01

-40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$87.0 NOK 808

-90.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$2.19 NOK 20.35

-42.01%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$32.4K NOK 301.1K

-34.36%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$35.5K NOK 329.4K

-37.36%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$101 NOK 935

-31.39%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$41.61 NOK 387

-66.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$64.7 NOK 601

-72.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$49.85 NOK 463

-17.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$35.05 NOK 326

-80.14%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$11.97 NOK 111

-50.54%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$319 NOK 2,961

-6.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$8,623 NOK 80.1K

73.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$111 NOK 1,031

-50.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$49.29 NOK 458

-45.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$126 NOK 1,169

-32.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$129 NOK 1,202

-45.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$1,203 NOK 11.2K

-64.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$910 NOK 8,453

-73.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,802 NOK 16.7K

-55.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,513 NOK 14.1K

-65.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$6,127 NOK 56.9K

-67.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$4,578 NOK 42.5K

-67.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$4,399 NOK 40.9K

-85.97%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Elverum: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,203 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 613% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $102 in Elverum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $373 – 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 161% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,387 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 $299 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 $866, than in Elverum at $2,258. 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 $866 versus $2,258 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.