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 $2,370 in Hamar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,691 in Hamar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,011 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 77% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$25.45 NOK 237

-92.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿611

$121 NOK 1,128

-84.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿258

$14.88 NOK 139

-46.77%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.2

$5.05 NOK 47.02

-62.18%

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

$0.84 ฿27.25

$4.10 NOK 38.25

-79.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.44

$3.18 NOK 29.62

-88.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

$12.08 NOK 113

-81.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$7.94 NOK 74.0

-52.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$2.07 NOK 19.32

-20.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.8

$2.87 NOK 26.79

-43.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.40

$2.07 NOK 19.30

-43.00%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.4

$4.97 NOK 46.29

-59.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿517

$10.69 NOK 99.6

48.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$11.99 NOK 112

-74.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿350

$31.44 NOK 293

-65.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.0

$3.48 NOK 32.45

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.65

$2.61 NOK 24.32

-53.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.4

$2.88 NOK 26.81

-40.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.2

$5.16 NOK 48.05

-69.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.89

$2.39 NOK 22.24

-44.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.01

$2.45 NOK 22.84

-52.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.85

$2.01 NOK 18.73

-66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.21

$1.94 NOK 18.10

-71.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

$16.88 NOK 157

-73.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

$18.77 NOK 175

-3.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

$3.40 NOK 31.68

-46.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

$4.16 NOK 38.80

-22.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

$4.48 NOK 41.76

-80.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

$65.2 NOK 607

-70.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.95

$10.20 NOK 95.1

-86.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

$1.40 NOK 13.07

-3.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

$42.35 NOK 395

-80.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.40

$2.10 NOK 19.60

-39.52%

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

$21.2K ฿687.8K

$36.9K NOK 344.0K

-42.68%

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

$22.5K ฿731.0K

$43.4K NOK 404.4K

-48.18%

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

$70.2 ฿2,281

$215 NOK 2,007

-67.43%

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

$13.77 ฿448

$31.45 NOK 293

-56.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿572

$56.0 NOK 521

-68.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

$55.9 NOK 521

-25.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

$27.85 NOK 260

-76.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿188

$17.91 NOK 167

-67.73%

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

$306 ฿9,953

$199 NOK 1,856

53.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

$14.9K NOK 138.5K

-0.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,768

$105 NOK 982

-48.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿850

$61.6 NOK 574

-57.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,748

$124 NOK 1,157

-31.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,257

$99.8 NOK 930

-30.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

$1,168 NOK 10.9K

-63.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

$847 NOK 7,898

-71.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

$1,489 NOK 13.9K

-44.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

$1,435 NOK 13.4K

-64.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

$4,391 NOK 40.9K

-53.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

$3,528 NOK 32.9K

-56.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

$4,348 NOK 40.5K

-85.39%

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 Hamar: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $1,168 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 585% 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 $121 in Hamar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $441 – 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 178% 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 $3,555 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $199 in Hamar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 81% 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 $2,370. 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 $2,370 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.