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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,359 in Holmestrand, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,603 in Holmestrand, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,846 in Holmestrand, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 64% cheaper than Holmestrand, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Holmestrand is 77% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$19.56 NOK 188

-89.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$100 NOK 959

-81.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$13.39 NOK 128

-41.30%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$4.85 NOK 46.48

-58.14%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$1.97 NOK 18.90

-59.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$1.98 NOK 18.95

-82.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$9.17 NOK 88.0

-76.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$9.41 NOK 90.2

-61.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.65 NOK 15.86

4.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$3.29 NOK 31.59

-52.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$1.96 NOK 18.82

-38.78%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$4.17 NOK 39.96

-52.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$11.15 NOK 107

45.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$14.10 NOK 135

-78.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$40.17 NOK 385

-73.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$1.99 NOK 19.09

39.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$2.34 NOK 22.42

-50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$3.17 NOK 30.38

-46.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$2.37 NOK 22.70

-32.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$0.80 NOK 7.63

73.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$1.35 NOK 12.97

-14.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$2.84 NOK 27.27

-76.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$1.92 NOK 18.43

-72.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$13.92 NOK 134

-66.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$17.98 NOK 172

-1.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$3.00 NOK 28.80

-40.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$4.03 NOK 38.63

-17.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$4.21 NOK 40.39

-78.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$74.7 NOK 716

-75.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$9.04 NOK 86.7

-84.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$0.94 NOK 9.02

42.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$99.3 NOK 952

-91.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$2.12 NOK 20.30

-41.98%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$38.3K NOK 367.3K

-44.02%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$33.5K NOK 321.7K

-34.92%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$219 NOK 2,104

-67.47%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$43.10 NOK 413

-67.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$38.56 NOK 370

-53.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$48.42 NOK 464

-15.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$35.31 NOK 339

-80.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$15.14 NOK 145

-62.22%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$302 NOK 2,899

2.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$10.1K NOK 97.3K

44.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$110 NOK 1,051

-49.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$30.04 NOK 288

-13.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$98.6 NOK 946

-13.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$133 NOK 1,280

-46.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$1,217 NOK 11.7K

-65.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$899 NOK 8,625

-73.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$1,795 NOK 17.2K

-55.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$1,556 NOK 14.9K

-67.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$5,686 NOK 54.5K

-66.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$3,422 NOK 32.8K

-57.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Holmestrand: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,217 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 $100 in Holmestrand. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $445 – 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 177% 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 $3,538 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $302 in Holmestrand. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 82% 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 $852, than in Holmestrand at $2,359. 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 $852 versus $2,359 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.