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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,350 in Gjovik, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,640 in Gjovik, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,930 in Gjovik, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 64% cheaper than Gjovik, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Gjovik is 76% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$25.42 NOK 237

-92.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$121 NOK 1,126

-84.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$15.14 NOK 141

-47.69%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$4.00 NOK 37.32

-52.25%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$4.23 NOK 39.42

-80.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$3.09 NOK 28.81

-88.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$10.21 NOK 95.1

-78.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$7.96 NOK 74.2

-52.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.41 NOK 22.46

-31.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$4.05 NOK 37.73

-60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$3.48 NOK 32.45

-66.09%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$4.97 NOK 46.34

-59.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$13.32 NOK 124

19.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$16.04 NOK 150

-81.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$31.64 NOK 295

-65.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.46 NOK 32.20

-24.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.47 NOK 22.98

-50.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$3.44 NOK 32.06

-50.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$5.00 NOK 46.62

-68.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$2.54 NOK 23.64

-48.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$2.70 NOK 25.20

-56.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$2.86 NOK 26.65

-76.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$2.38 NOK 22.19

-76.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$17.33 NOK 162

-73.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$19.42 NOK 181

-6.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$3.39 NOK 31.64

-46.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$4.37 NOK 40.76

-26.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$2.73 NOK 25.44

-67.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$60.9 NOK 568

-68.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$10.20 NOK 95.1

-86.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.43 NOK 13.37

-5.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$42.95 NOK 400

-80.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$2.20 NOK 20.50

-42.27%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$36.5K NOK 339.9K

-42.00%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$42.1K NOK 392.0K

-46.54%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$300 NOK 2,797

-76.62%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$31.61 NOK 295

-56.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$56.2 NOK 524

-68.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$35.32 NOK 329

17.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$36.03 NOK 336

-81.68%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$18.11 NOK 169

-68.08%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$268 NOK 2,494

14.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$15.0K NOK 139.5K

-0.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$103 NOK 964

-47.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$66.4 NOK 619

-60.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$124 NOK 1,151

-31.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$162 NOK 1,511

-57.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$1,600 NOK 14.9K

-73.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$714 NOK 6,657

-66.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$1,856 NOK 17.3K

-55.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,209 NOK 11.3K

-57.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$3,873 NOK 36.1K

-83.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

-1.57%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Gjovik: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $1,600 in Gjovik. 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 510% higher in Gjovik, 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 $121 in Gjovik. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $502 – 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 Gjovik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gjovik costs about 176% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,525 in Gjovik. 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $268 in Gjovik. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 106% more in Gjovik, 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 $852, than in Gjovik at $2,350. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gjovik it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $2,350 in Gjovik. 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, Gjovik makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.