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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,318 in Horten, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,539 in Horten, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,760 in Horten, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 63% cheaper than Horten, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Horten is 72% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$28.90 NOK 274

-93.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$101 NOK 956

-81.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$13.32 NOK 126

-41.82%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$4.88 NOK 46.29

-60.66%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$2.44 NOK 23.15

-67.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$2.13 NOK 20.23

-83.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$9.36 NOK 88.8

-76.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$9.77 NOK 92.8

-62.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$2.14 NOK 20.27

-22.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$3.39 NOK 32.19

-51.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$3.07 NOK 29.16

-61.24%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$4.31 NOK 40.91

-53.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$9.81 NOK 93.1

62.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$13.29 NOK 126

-77.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$23.59 NOK 224

-53.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.66 NOK 34.78

-24.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.28 NOK 21.61

-48.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$3.37 NOK 32.02

-51.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$3.92 NOK 37.21

-61.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$2.00 NOK 19.03

-31.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$2.13 NOK 20.23

-44.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$2.80 NOK 26.61

-75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$1.84 NOK 17.48

-69.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$14.05 NOK 133

-67.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$18.64 NOK 177

-11.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$3.33 NOK 31.65

-45.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$3.99 NOK 37.86

-19.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$5.17 NOK 49.08

-82.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$74.9 NOK 711

-75.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$10.29 NOK 97.6

-86.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.09 NOK 10.31

22.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$103 NOK 978

-92.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$2.15 NOK 20.43

-42.79%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$35.9K NOK 340.5K

-39.72%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$38.9K NOK 369.0K

-42.00%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$216 NOK 2,049

-67.32%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$43.90 NOK 417

-68.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$30.06 NOK 285

-41.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$48.41 NOK 459

-14.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$34.89 NOK 331

-80.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$15.09 NOK 143

-61.76%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$308 NOK 2,923

-0.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$9,951 NOK 94.5K

46.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$114 NOK 1,085

-51.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$41.11 NOK 390

-36.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$54.9 NOK 521

56.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$184 NOK 1,745

-60.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$1,061 NOK 10.1K

-59.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$820 NOK 7,779

-70.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$1,686 NOK 16.0K

-51.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$1,216 NOK 11.5K

-57.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$6,059 NOK 57.5K

-67.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$4,365 NOK 41.4K

-66.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$3,426 NOK 32.5K

-81.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

66.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Horten: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $1,061 in Horten. 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 454% higher in Horten, 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 $101 in Horten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $422 – 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 Horten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Horten costs about 167% 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 $3,477 in Horten. 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 $308 in Horten. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 75% more in Horten, 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 Horten at $2,318. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Horten it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $2,318 in Horten. 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, Horten makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.