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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,485 in Harstad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,699 in Harstad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,912 in Harstad, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 66% cheaper than Harstad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Harstad is 85% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$13.48 NOK 125

-85.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$123 NOK 1,145

-85.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$15.11 NOK 140

-50.36%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$5.99 NOK 55.7

-67.78%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$3.44 NOK 31.99

-77.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$3.07 NOK 28.55

-89.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$11.11 NOK 103

-80.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$11.20 NOK 104

-66.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$2.33 NOK 21.67

-26.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$3.16 NOK 29.38

-50.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$3.10 NOK 28.84

-61.94%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$4.28 NOK 39.79

-53.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$10.56 NOK 98.2

51.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$15.15 NOK 141

-79.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$38.04 NOK 354

-71.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$3.88 NOK 36.12

-32.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$2.77 NOK 25.80

-57.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$3.52 NOK 32.72

-53.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$4.64 NOK 43.16

-66.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$1.99 NOK 18.54

-30.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$2.05 NOK 19.10

-42.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$2.68 NOK 24.91

-75.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$1.76 NOK 16.40

-71.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$15.25 NOK 142

-70.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$16.36 NOK 152

11.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$3.62 NOK 33.66

-50.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$4.53 NOK 42.14

-29.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$6.03 NOK 56.1

-85.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$79.3 NOK 737

-76.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$12.82 NOK 119

-89.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$1.44 NOK 13.41

-9.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$50.5 NOK 470

-83.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$2.13 NOK 19.78

-39.91%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$33.5K NOK 311.9K

-36.50%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$30.4K NOK 282.3K

-28.50%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$159 NOK 1,480

-56.52%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$33.50 NOK 312

-58.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$76.7 NOK 714

-76.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$48.47 NOK 451

-12.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$35.46 NOK 330

-81.22%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$16.65 NOK 155

-64.44%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$336 NOK 3,125

-10.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$5,048 NOK 47.0K

194.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$77.2 NOK 718

-27.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$32.68 NOK 304

-17.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$117 NOK 1,089

-27.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$135 NOK 1,260

-46.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$1,331 NOK 12.4K

-67.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$1,021 NOK 9,498

-76.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$2,200 NOK 20.5K

-63.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$1,443 NOK 13.4K

-65.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$5,987 NOK 55.7K

-66.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$4,636 NOK 43.1K

-66.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$3,563 NOK 33.1K

-82.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

17.10%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Last update for Harstad: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $1,331 in Harstad. 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 467% higher in Harstad, 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 in Chiang Mai versus $123 in Harstad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $481 – 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 Harstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Harstad costs about 194% 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,728 in Harstad. 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $336 in Harstad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 97% more in Harstad, 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 $845, than in Harstad at $2,485. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Harstad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $2,485 in Harstad. 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, Harstad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.