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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,494 in Haugesund, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,746 in Haugesund, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,997 in Haugesund, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 65% cheaper than Haugesund, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Haugesund is 86% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$21.22 NOK 201

-90.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$100 NOK 949

-81.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$13.77 NOK 131

-43.72%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$4.59 NOK 43.60

-58.17%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$3.08 NOK 29.27

-74.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$2.89 NOK 27.42

-87.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$10.73 NOK 102

-79.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$9.41 NOK 89.3

-61.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$2.12 NOK 20.10

-22.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$3.39 NOK 32.22

-51.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$2.78 NOK 26.35

-57.19%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$4.48 NOK 42.52

-55.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$11.18 NOK 106

42.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$14.81 NOK 141

-79.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$27.94 NOK 265

-61.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.08 NOK 29.19

-10.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.17 NOK 20.61

-45.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$3.57 NOK 33.91

-54.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$4.04 NOK 38.34

-62.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$2.59 NOK 24.61

-46.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$2.84 NOK 27.00

-58.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$2.86 NOK 27.15

-75.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$2.07 NOK 19.64

-72.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$16.25 NOK 154

-71.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$14.54 NOK 138

13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$3.38 NOK 32.04

-45.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$4.22 NOK 40.07

-24.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$3.49 NOK 33.14

-74.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$66.6 NOK 632

-71.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$14.39 NOK 137

-90.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.59 NOK 15.11

-15.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$54.6 NOK 519

-85.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$2.20 NOK 20.87

-44.09%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$34.9K NOK 331.3K

-38.04%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$39.7K NOK 377.0K

-43.24%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$238 NOK 2,260

-70.37%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$38.82 NOK 369

-64.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$55.7 NOK 529

-68.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$45.29 NOK 430

-8.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$36.08 NOK 342

-80.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$16.78 NOK 159

-65.61%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$285 NOK 2,708

7.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$2,856 NOK 27.1K

411.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$81.4 NOK 773

-31.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$56.4 NOK 535

-53.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$94.5 NOK 897

-9.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$147 NOK 1,393

-50.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$1,611 NOK 15.3K

-73.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$1,039 NOK 9,860

-77.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$2,082 NOK 19.8K

-60.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$1,511 NOK 14.3K

-66.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$4,380 NOK 41.6K

-54.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$4,780 NOK 45.4K

-68.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$3,637 NOK 34.5K

-82.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.98

25.63%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Haugesund: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $1,611 in Haugesund. 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 488% higher in Haugesund, 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 $100 in Haugesund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $443 – 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 Haugesund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Haugesund costs about 187% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,740 in Haugesund. 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $285 in Haugesund. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 84% more in Haugesund, 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 $869, than in Haugesund at $2,494. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Haugesund it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $2,494 in Haugesund. 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, Haugesund makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.