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 $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,359 in Holmestrand, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,585 in Holmestrand, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,811 in Holmestrand, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Holmestrand is 76% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$18.88 NOK 176

-89.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$101 NOK 943

-81.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$13.22 NOK 123

-43.27%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$5.02 NOK 46.68

-61.55%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$1.98 NOK 18.38

-60.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$2.05 NOK 19.02

-84.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$9.17 NOK 85.3

-76.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$9.77 NOK 90.9

-62.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.66 NOK 15.43

3.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$3.32 NOK 30.87

-53.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$2.05 NOK 19.09

-42.44%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$3.94 NOK 36.68

-49.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$11.16 NOK 104

43.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$14.18 NOK 132

-77.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$41.11 NOK 382

-73.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$2.08 NOK 19.30

26.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$2.32 NOK 21.57

-49.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$3.26 NOK 30.33

-49.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$2.49 NOK 23.16

-38.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$0.79 NOK 7.39

74.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$1.34 NOK 12.43

-12.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$2.86 NOK 26.60

-76.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$1.85 NOK 17.21

-72.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$14.02 NOK 130

-67.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$18.81 NOK 175

-2.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$3.00 NOK 27.92

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$4.02 NOK 37.36

-20.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$4.35 NOK 40.42

-79.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$73.0 NOK 679

-73.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$8.66 NOK 80.5

-83.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.97 NOK 8.99

35.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$102 NOK 949

-92.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$2.13 NOK 19.78

-39.91%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$38.2K NOK 355.0K

-44.21%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$34.2K NOK 317.8K

-36.48%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$219 NOK 2,032

-68.34%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$42.93 NOK 399

-67.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$38.27 NOK 356

-53.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$48.71 NOK 453

-13.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$36.08 NOK 336

-81.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$14.94 NOK 139

-60.37%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$303 NOK 2,814

-1.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$10.1K NOK 94.1K

46.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$112 NOK 1,038

-49.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$30.85 NOK 287

-12.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$99.9 NOK 929

-15.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$129 NOK 1,200

-44.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$1,206 NOK 11.2K

-63.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$878 NOK 8,168

-72.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$1,800 NOK 16.7K

-55.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$1,543 NOK 14.4K

-67.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$6,023 NOK 56.0K

-66.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$4,461 NOK 41.5K

-65.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$3,733 NOK 34.7K

-83.17%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Holmestrand: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $1,206 in Holmestrand. 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 494% higher in Holmestrand, 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $101 in Holmestrand. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $451 – 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 179% 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 $1,267 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $303 in Holmestrand. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 85% 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 $845, 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 $845 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.