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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,751 in Haugesund, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,057 in Haugesund, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,363 in Haugesund, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Haugesund is 100% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$22.59 NOK 210

-90.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$107 NOK 992

-81.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$14.79 NOK 137

-60.85%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$4.87 NOK 45.18

-62.42%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$5.27 NOK 48.86

-85.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$4.18 NOK 38.76

-92.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$12.07 NOK 112

-80.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$10.88 NOK 101

-65.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$2.23 NOK 20.71

-8.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$4.01 NOK 37.22

-60.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$3.47 NOK 32.15

-59.08%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$4.95 NOK 45.90

-55.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$12.17 NOK 113

30.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$15.89 NOK 147

-80.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$35.21 NOK 327

-71.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$3.26 NOK 30.20

-19.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$2.22 NOK 20.63

-50.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$3.69 NOK 34.24

-55.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$4.34 NOK 40.24

-64.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$2.59 NOK 24.03

-52.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$3.30 NOK 30.63

-65.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$2.92 NOK 27.09

-74.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$2.03 NOK 18.87

-75.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$17.24 NOK 160

-75.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$15.04 NOK 140

19.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$3.65 NOK 33.85

-53.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$4.26 NOK 39.55

-31.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$3.78 NOK 35.07

-75.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$71.3 NOK 662

-22.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$12.68 NOK 118

-90.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.92 NOK 17.82

-72.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$57.3 NOK 532

-95.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$2.30 NOK 21.30

-37.39%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$45.4K NOK 421.4K

-53.35%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$43.9K NOK 407.6K

-37.85%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$289 NOK 2,680

-77.52%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$31.78 NOK 295

-57.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$58.2 NOK 540

-64.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$50.2 NOK 466

-19.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$37.32 NOK 346

-89.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$17.83 NOK 165

-62.37%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$243 NOK 2,250

224.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$3,065 NOK 28.4K

393.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$101 NOK 940

-44.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$55.0 NOK 510

-54.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$90.8 NOK 843

2.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$160 NOK 1,485

-53.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$1,605 NOK 14.9K

-69.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$1,115 NOK 10.3K

-74.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$2,200 NOK 20.4K

-58.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$1,698 NOK 15.8K

-68.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$6,503 NOK 60.3K

-69.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$4,845 NOK 44.9K

-70.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$4,121 NOK 38.2K

-85.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.2

7.12%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Haugesund: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $1,605 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 581% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $107 in Haugesund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $491 – 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 190% 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,127 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 $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $243 in Haugesund. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 103% 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 $950, than in Haugesund at $2,751. 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 $950 versus $2,751 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.