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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,379 in Hamar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,737 in Hamar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,095 in Hamar, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Hamar is 79% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$25.39 NOK 241

-91.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$122 NOK 1,157

-84.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$15.27 NOK 145

-48.53%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$5.07 NOK 48.03

-59.96%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$4.21 NOK 39.92

-81.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$3.18 NOK 30.12

-88.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$11.96 NOK 113

-82.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$8.19 NOK 77.6

-55.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$2.10 NOK 19.93

-17.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$2.84 NOK 26.97

-44.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$2.05 NOK 19.40

-41.46%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$5.20 NOK 49.27

-62.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$10.42 NOK 98.8

55.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$12.20 NOK 116

-74.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$31.13 NOK 295

-65.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.44 NOK 32.66

-19.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.50 NOK 23.69

-53.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.89 NOK 27.37

-40.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$5.08 NOK 48.21

-68.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$2.38 NOK 22.55

-41.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$2.39 NOK 22.69

-51.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$2.00 NOK 18.96

-67.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.89 NOK 17.92

-72.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$17.40 NOK 165

-73.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$18.04 NOK 171

-1.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$3.52 NOK 33.37

-49.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$4.25 NOK 40.34

-21.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$4.48 NOK 42.53

-79.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$64.5 NOK 612

-71.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$9.97 NOK 94.6

-85.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.38 NOK 13.12

-2.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$42.66 NOK 404

-80.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$2.11 NOK 19.97

-41.71%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$35.9K NOK 340.4K

-40.29%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$43.2K NOK 409.8K

-49.51%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$218 NOK 2,072

-67.35%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$31.47 NOK 298

-55.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$56.2 NOK 533

-68.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$55.7 NOK 528

-26.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$27.97 NOK 265

-75.40%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$18.02 NOK 171

-68.26%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$203 NOK 1,921

52.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$14.6K NOK 138.6K

0.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$106 NOK 1,002

-47.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$60.4 NOK 573

-56.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$121 NOK 1,148

-29.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$103 NOK 976

-31.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$1,160 NOK 11.0K

-63.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$824 NOK 7,811

-70.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$1,496 NOK 14.2K

-46.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$1,445 NOK 13.7K

-64.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$4,211 NOK 39.9K

-54.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$3,448 NOK 32.7K

-57.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$4,111 NOK 39.0K

-85.53%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Hamar: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,160 in Hamar. 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 591% higher in Hamar, 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 $122 in Hamar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $438 – 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 Hamar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamar costs about 179% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,568 in Hamar. 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $203 in Hamar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 79% more in Hamar, 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 Hamar at $2,379. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hamar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $2,379 in Hamar. 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, Hamar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.