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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,417 in Hamar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,870 in Hamar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,324 in Hamar, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Hamar is 77% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$21.27 NOK 200

-90.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$130 NOK 1,221

-84.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$16.05 NOK 151

-64.67%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$6.13 NOK 57.7

-70.47%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$4.14 NOK 39.05

-81.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$3.35 NOK 31.56

-89.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$12.03 NOK 113

-81.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$8.43 NOK 79.4

-55.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$2.51 NOK 23.66

-18.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$3.03 NOK 28.54

-50.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$2.13 NOK 20.04

-34.27%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$5.90 NOK 55.6

-61.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$11.32 NOK 107

43.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$12.64 NOK 119

-77.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$29.76 NOK 280

-68.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$3.40 NOK 32.05

-21.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.66 NOK 25.06

-59.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$3.18 NOK 29.97

-49.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$5.98 NOK 56.3

-75.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$2.51 NOK 23.69

-49.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$2.54 NOK 23.94

-58.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$2.13 NOK 20.03

-66.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$2.02 NOK 19.06

-73.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$19.26 NOK 181

-78.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$16.86 NOK 159

8.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$3.61 NOK 34.01

-54.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$4.37 NOK 41.22

-33.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$4.68 NOK 44.10

-81.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$69.9 NOK 658

-23.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$12.00 NOK 113

-90.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.86 NOK 17.52

-68.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$71.9 NOK 677

-96.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$2.36 NOK 22.25

-38.56%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$48.5K NOK 457.0K

-56.68%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$46.2K NOK 434.9K

-42.74%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$227 NOK 2,137

-71.93%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$32.60 NOK 307

-60.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$56.7 NOK 534

-63.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$57.8 NOK 544

-32.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$30.57 NOK 288

-87.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$19.33 NOK 182

-65.96%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$217 NOK 2,044

261.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$16.0K NOK 150.5K

-8.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$101 NOK 950

-45.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$60.8 NOK 572

-59.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$133 NOK 1,254

-29.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$105 NOK 991

-29.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$1,235 NOK 11.6K

-60.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$882 NOK 8,309

-67.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$1,635 NOK 15.4K

-45.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$1,540 NOK 14.5K

-66.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$4,449 NOK 41.9K

-55.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$3,468 NOK 32.7K

-58.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$4,256 NOK 40.1K

-85.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.98

11.85%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Hamar: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $1,235 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 607% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $130 in Hamar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $455 – 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 159% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,626 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $217 in Hamar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 89% 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 $932, than in Hamar at $2,417. 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 $932 versus $2,417 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.