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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,626 in Harstad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,908 in Harstad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,189 in Harstad, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Harstad is 92% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$14.17 NOK 134

-85.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$109 NOK 1,027

-82.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$16.17 NOK 152

-64.94%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$6.56 NOK 61.9

-72.41%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$3.84 NOK 36.18

-79.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$3.18 NOK 29.98

-88.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$12.72 NOK 120

-82.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$13.91 NOK 131

-72.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$2.58 NOK 24.32

-20.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$3.48 NOK 32.77

-56.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$3.30 NOK 31.06

-57.58%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$4.58 NOK 43.18

-50.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$11.19 NOK 105

44.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$15.09 NOK 142

-80.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$42.47 NOK 400

-77.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$4.24 NOK 39.94

-36.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.94 NOK 27.73

-62.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$3.82 NOK 35.95

-57.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$4.79 NOK 45.12

-69.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$2.16 NOK 20.37

-40.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$2.17 NOK 20.48

-51.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$3.02 NOK 28.50

-76.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$2.41 NOK 22.71

-78.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$16.82 NOK 158

-74.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$15.81 NOK 149

15.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$4.04 NOK 38.03

-59.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$4.98 NOK 46.97

-41.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$6.22 NOK 58.6

-85.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$84.4 NOK 796

-36.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$16.02 NOK 151

-92.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.84 NOK 17.32

-68.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$56.9 NOK 536

-95.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$2.25 NOK 21.20

-35.56%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$37.6K NOK 354.3K

-44.12%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$32.0K NOK 301.4K

-17.39%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$168 NOK 1,582

-62.08%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$34.80 NOK 328

-62.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$81.9 NOK 771

-74.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$51.1 NOK 482

-23.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$37.78 NOK 356

-89.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$17.55 NOK 165

-62.51%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$246 NOK 2,319

218.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$5,377 NOK 50.7K

172.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$68.7 NOK 647

-19.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$36.02 NOK 339

-31.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$124 NOK 1,170

-24.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$168 NOK 1,580

-55.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$1,387 NOK 13.1K

-64.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$1,092 NOK 10.3K

-73.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$2,321 NOK 21.9K

-61.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$1,530 NOK 14.4K

-65.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$6,192 NOK 58.3K

-68.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$4,126 NOK 38.9K

-64.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$3,607 NOK 34.0K

-83.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.40%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Harstad: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $1,387 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 500% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $109 in Harstad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $520 – 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 182% 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 $3,939 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $246 in Harstad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 116% 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 $932, than in Harstad at $2,626. 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 $932 versus $2,626 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.