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 $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,372 in Hamar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,738 in Hamar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,105 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 78% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.1

$25.40 NOK 247

-92.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿603

$123 NOK 1,195

-85.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿258

$15.39 NOK 150

-48.86%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$4.94 NOK 48.11

-60.53%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$4.06 NOK 39.50

-79.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.61

$3.18 NOK 30.94

-89.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿70.2

$12.19 NOK 119

-82.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿121

$8.10 NOK 78.9

-54.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$2.11 NOK 20.54

-21.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿51.1

$2.85 NOK 27.72

-45.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.95

$1.98 NOK 19.26

-39.90%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿65.2

$4.98 NOK 48.48

-60.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿532

$10.39 NOK 101

56.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿104

$12.07 NOK 118

-73.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿355

$30.86 NOK 301

-64.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿87.0

$3.55 NOK 34.58

-25.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.00

$2.61 NOK 25.43

-53.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿54.1

$3.01 NOK 29.30

-45.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.7

$5.00 NOK 48.71

-69.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.53

$2.37 NOK 23.06

-43.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.75

$2.38 NOK 23.18

-49.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.22

$1.99 NOK 19.35

-65.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.54

$1.89 NOK 18.42

-69.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿154

$17.50 NOK 170

-73.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿557

$18.45 NOK 180

-7.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$3.45 NOK 33.60

-47.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿104

$4.27 NOK 41.62

-25.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.70

$4.34 NOK 42.30

-79.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿614

$65.0 NOK 633

-71.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.18

$10.03 NOK 97.7

-85.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.88

$1.40 NOK 13.65

-4.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿267

$42.03 NOK 409

-80.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.88

$2.20 NOK 21.43

-41.82%

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

$21.8K ฿715.2K

$36.1K NOK 351.8K

-39.56%

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

$22.4K ฿734.1K

$43.4K NOK 422.3K

-48.33%

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

$70.5 ฿2,310

$219 NOK 2,137

-67.87%

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

$14.05 ฿460

$30.64 NOK 298

-54.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿578

$55.7 NOK 542

-68.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,353

$56.2 NOK 547

-26.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿222

$27.84 NOK 271

-75.72%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿195

$18.11 NOK 176

-67.09%

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

$303 ฿9,928

$199 NOK 1,939

52.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.2K

$14.6K NOK 142.2K

2.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,793

$104 NOK 1,017

-47.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿861

$59.5 NOK 580

-55.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,811

$123 NOK 1,197

-30.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,284

$101 NOK 981

-30.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$1,192 NOK 11.6K

-64.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,834

$845 NOK 8,227

-71.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.6K

$1,491 NOK 14.5K

-45.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.7K

$1,465 NOK 14.3K

-65.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿66.4K

$4,331 NOK 42.2K

-53.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿49.2K

$3,526 NOK 34.3K

-57.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.4K

$4,192 NOK 40.8K

-85.15%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Hamar: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,192 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 573% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $123 in Hamar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $437 – 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 180% 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,558 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 $303 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 80% 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 $848, than in Hamar at $2,372. 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 $848 versus $2,372 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.