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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,476 in Haugesund, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,729 in Haugesund, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,982 in Haugesund, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Haugesund is 86% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$21.54 NOK 207

-90.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$102 NOK 983

-81.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$13.46 NOK 129

-41.60%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$4.68 NOK 44.93

-56.62%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$3.09 NOK 29.62

-74.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$2.95 NOK 28.29

-88.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$10.67 NOK 102

-79.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$9.37 NOK 89.9

-60.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$2.10 NOK 20.15

-17.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$3.32 NOK 31.80

-52.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$2.84 NOK 27.23

-57.75%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$4.51 NOK 43.30

-56.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$11.33 NOK 109

43.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$14.51 NOK 139

-78.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$28.07 NOK 269

-61.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$3.06 NOK 29.33

-9.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$2.15 NOK 20.64

-45.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$3.60 NOK 34.55

-52.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$4.11 NOK 39.42

-61.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$2.74 NOK 26.28

-49.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$2.81 NOK 26.94

-58.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$2.91 NOK 27.93

-77.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$2.14 NOK 20.55

-75.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$16.29 NOK 156

-71.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$14.27 NOK 137

24.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$3.30 NOK 31.68

-45.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$4.29 NOK 41.19

-22.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$3.61 NOK 34.62

-74.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$65.4 NOK 627

-71.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$14.39 NOK 138

-90.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$1.51 NOK 14.50

-11.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$54.8 NOK 526

-85.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$2.15 NOK 20.64

-42.79%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$35.3K NOK 339.1K

-39.36%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$40.0K NOK 383.6K

-45.42%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$243 NOK 2,328

-70.61%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$38.85 NOK 373

-63.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$55.6 NOK 533

-67.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$44.68 NOK 429

-8.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$35.94 NOK 345

-80.86%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$16.34 NOK 157

-64.99%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$280 NOK 2,685

10.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$2,941 NOK 28.2K

399.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$83.2 NOK 798

-32.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$55.5 NOK 533

-53.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$94.7 NOK 908

-10.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$147 NOK 1,410

-51.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$1,640 NOK 15.7K

-74.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$1,022 NOK 9,799

-76.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$2,061 NOK 19.8K

-61.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$1,549 NOK 14.9K

-67.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$4,218 NOK 40.5K

-54.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$4,596 NOK 44.1K

-68.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$3,941 NOK 37.8K

-84.90%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Haugesund: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,640 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 562% 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 $102 in Haugesund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $442 – 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,715 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $280 in Haugesund. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 81% 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 $852, than in Haugesund at $2,476. 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 $852 versus $2,476 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.