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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,422 in Harstad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,693 in Harstad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,965 in Harstad, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Harstad is 81% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.8

$13.57 NOK 128

-85.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿611

$119 NOK 1,129

-84.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$15.33 NOK 145

-48.99%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿64.1

$6.05 NOK 57.2

-67.77%

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

$0.85 ฿27.90

$3.45 NOK 32.61

-75.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.64

$2.99 NOK 28.30

-88.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.9

$11.22 NOK 106

-81.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$11.32 NOK 107

-67.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.2

$2.32 NOK 21.90

-26.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.4

$3.15 NOK 29.82

-48.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.32

$3.00 NOK 28.35

-62.00%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.4

$4.18 NOK 39.48

-53.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿532

$10.56 NOK 99.9

53.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$14.92 NOK 141

-79.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿357

$37.12 NOK 351

-70.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.4

$4.06 NOK 38.37

-32.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.70

$2.68 NOK 25.35

-54.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.2

$3.46 NOK 32.74

-53.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.1

$4.67 NOK 44.15

-65.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.91

$1.99 NOK 18.86

-29.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.34

$1.98 NOK 18.72

-40.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.70

$2.77 NOK 26.23

-76.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.30

$1.79 NOK 16.90

-70.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿154

$15.21 NOK 144

-69.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿612

$16.00 NOK 151

16.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.0

$3.56 NOK 33.64

-49.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$4.50 NOK 42.56

-28.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.39

$5.95 NOK 56.3

-84.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

$81.5 NOK 771

-76.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.13

$12.47 NOK 118

-88.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.31

$1.44 NOK 13.57

-10.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿257

$51.3 NOK 485

-84.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$2.11 NOK 19.96

-39.81%

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

$21.3K ฿698.1K

$33.6K NOK 317.9K

-36.72%

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

$22.2K ฿728.8K

$30.8K NOK 291.6K

-27.99%

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

$69.1 ฿2,266

$160 NOK 1,509

-56.73%

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

$14.08 ฿462

$33.10 NOK 313

-57.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿591

$77.0 NOK 728

-76.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,347

$49.67 NOK 470

-17.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

$36.08 NOK 341

-80.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿194

$16.99 NOK 161

-65.16%

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

$299 ฿9,811

$329 NOK 3,110

-9.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.6K

$5,131 NOK 48.5K

191.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,795

$77.2 NOK 730

-29.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿878

$33.44 NOK 316

-19.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,788

$118 NOK 1,113

-27.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,316

$134 NOK 1,269

-47.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$1,330 NOK 12.6K

-67.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,787

$1,004 NOK 9,490

-76.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.3K

$2,212 NOK 20.9K

-63.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$1,494 NOK 14.1K

-65.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.8K

$6,005 NOK 56.8K

-67.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.4K

$4,540 NOK 42.9K

-67.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.3K

$3,581 NOK 33.9K

-82.76%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Harstad: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,330 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 480% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $119 in Harstad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $476 – 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 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,632 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 $329 in Harstad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 93% 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 $866, than in Harstad at $2,422. 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 $866 versus $2,422 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.