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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,297 in Holmestrand, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,561 in Holmestrand, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,826 in Holmestrand, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 62% cheaper than Holmestrand, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Holmestrand is 71% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$19.11 NOK 181

-89.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$99.4 NOK 943

-81.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$13.51 NOK 128

-42.64%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$4.90 NOK 46.47

-60.82%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$2.06 NOK 19.52

-61.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$2.07 NOK 19.69

-82.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$9.18 NOK 87.1

-75.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$9.51 NOK 90.3

-61.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.59 NOK 15.11

3.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$3.27 NOK 30.99

-50.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$2.06 NOK 19.60

-42.23%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$4.01 NOK 38.07

-50.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$10.84 NOK 103

47.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$13.95 NOK 132

-78.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$40.21 NOK 382

-72.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.98 NOK 18.77

39.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.33 NOK 22.15

-49.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$3.32 NOK 31.51

-50.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.36 NOK 22.41

-35.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.77 NOK 7.33

79.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.29 NOK 12.22

-7.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$3.01 NOK 28.55

-76.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$1.83 NOK 17.33

-69.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$14.13 NOK 134

-67.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$18.61 NOK 177

-11.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$3.01 NOK 28.60

-39.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$3.92 NOK 37.21

-18.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$4.13 NOK 39.19

-78.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$73.0 NOK 692

-74.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$8.90 NOK 84.4

-84.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.95 NOK 9.01

41.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$102 NOK 970

-92.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$2.12 NOK 20.12

-41.98%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$38.3K NOK 363.7K

-43.57%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$34.4K NOK 326.1K

-34.37%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$216 NOK 2,052

-67.37%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$44.01 NOK 418

-68.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$37.22 NOK 353

-53.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$48.95 NOK 465

-15.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$34.80 NOK 330

-80.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$14.91 NOK 142

-61.30%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$310 NOK 2,941

-0.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$10.3K NOK 97.3K

42.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$110 NOK 1,040

-49.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$29.87 NOK 284

-12.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$98.2 NOK 932

-12.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$133 NOK 1,264

-45.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$1,213 NOK 11.5K

-64.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$906 NOK 8,597

-73.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$1,846 NOK 17.5K

-55.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$1,527 NOK 14.5K

-66.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$6,481 NOK 61.5K

-69.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$3,913 NOK 37.1K

-62.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

150.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Holmestrand: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $1,213 in Holmestrand. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $99.0 in Holmestrand. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $444 – 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 Holmestrand: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Holmestrand costs about 164% 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 $3,445 in Holmestrand. 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 $310 in Holmestrand. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 84% more in Holmestrand, 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 Holmestrand at $2,297. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Holmestrand it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $2,297 in Holmestrand. 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, Holmestrand makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.