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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,843 in Holmestrand, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,373 in Holmestrand, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,903 in Holmestrand, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 67% cheaper than Holmestrand, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Holmestrand is 106% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$21.68 NOK 201

-90.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$130 NOK 1,203

-84.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$16.34 NOK 152

-64.57%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$5.91 NOK 54.8

-69.04%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$4.23 NOK 39.27

-81.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$3.36 NOK 31.21

-90.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$11.75 NOK 109

-80.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$13.11 NOK 122

-71.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$2.66 NOK 24.69

-23.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$4.16 NOK 38.60

-61.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$4.66 NOK 43.25

-69.53%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$6.17 NOK 57.3

-64.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$14.72 NOK 137

8.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$15.47 NOK 144

-80.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$30.67 NOK 285

-67.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$3.31 NOK 30.72

-20.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$2.68 NOK 24.85

-58.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$3.65 NOK 33.84

-55.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$6.18 NOK 57.3

-75.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$2.62 NOK 24.32

-52.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$2.85 NOK 26.44

-60.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$3.14 NOK 29.13

-76.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$2.51 NOK 23.28

-80.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$19.52 NOK 181

-78.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$16.62 NOK 154

8.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$3.49 NOK 32.41

-51.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$4.38 NOK 40.60

-33.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$4.84 NOK 44.94

-80.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$85.3 NOK 791

-35.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$12.18 NOK 113

-89.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.93 NOK 17.87

-72.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$72.4 NOK 671

-96.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$2.24 NOK 20.79

-35.71%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$49.1K NOK 455.6K

-56.85%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$45.0K NOK 417.5K

-39.33%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$423 NOK 3,920

-84.63%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$32.30 NOK 300

-58.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$56.9 NOK 528

-63.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$50.7 NOK 470

-20.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$38.04 NOK 353

-89.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$19.34 NOK 179

-65.31%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$247 NOK 2,288

219.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$16.1K NOK 149.4K

-6.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$102 NOK 950

-45.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$62.7 NOK 582

-60.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$135 NOK 1,256

-31.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$160 NOK 1,480

-52.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$1,229 NOK 11.4K

-60.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$1,053 NOK 9,764

-72.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$2,062 NOK 19.1K

-55.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$1,724 NOK 16.0K

-69.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$6,541 NOK 60.7K

-69.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$4,202 NOK 39.0K

-65.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.96

12.30%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Holmestrand: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $1,229 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $130 in Holmestrand. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $519 – 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 199% 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 $4,265 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 $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $247 in Holmestrand. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 114% 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 $950, than in Holmestrand at $2,843. 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 $950 versus $2,843 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.