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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,266 in Horten, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,483 in Horten, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,700 in Horten, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Horten is 70% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.3

$28.38 NOK 271

-92.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿625

$103 NOK 979

-81.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$13.48 NOK 129

-41.69%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.8

$4.86 NOK 46.38

-58.23%

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

$0.80 ฿26.67

$2.45 NOK 23.39

-67.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.69

$2.23 NOK 21.23

-84.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.6

$8.87 NOK 84.6

-75.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$9.88 NOK 94.3

-62.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$2.17 NOK 20.68

-20.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$3.45 NOK 32.94

-54.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.04

$3.19 NOK 30.45

-62.38%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.9

$4.22 NOK 40.25

-53.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿542

$9.94 NOK 94.8

63.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$13.44 NOK 128

-77.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$23.62 NOK 225

-54.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.5

$3.62 NOK 34.53

-23.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$2.34 NOK 22.31

-50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$3.29 NOK 31.42

-48.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$4.07 NOK 38.79

-60.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.56

$1.96 NOK 18.73

-29.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.61

$2.14 NOK 20.45

-45.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.08

$2.85 NOK 27.23

-76.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.33

$1.84 NOK 17.55

-71.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$14.35 NOK 137

-67.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿594

$18.26 NOK 174

-2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.7

$3.23 NOK 30.78

-44.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$4.02 NOK 38.37

-16.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.30

$5.05 NOK 48.12

-81.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿623

$77.4 NOK 738

-75.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.10

$9.96 NOK 95.0

-85.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.76

$1.10 NOK 10.47

21.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$102 NOK 971

-92.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.21

$2.09 NOK 19.98

-41.15%

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

$21.4K ฿715.9K

$35.8K NOK 341.6K

-40.15%

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

$21.8K ฿728.9K

$38.7K NOK 368.8K

-43.57%

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

$71.3 ฿2,382

$217 NOK 2,070

-67.14%

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

$14.01 ฿468

$43.09 NOK 411

-67.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿599

$30.39 NOK 290

-41.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,363

$48.98 NOK 467

-16.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$35.29 NOK 337

-80.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$15.07 NOK 144

-62.04%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$305 NOK 2,909

1.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿490.3K

$10.0K NOK 95.7K

46.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,863

$117 NOK 1,115

-52.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿870

$40.93 NOK 390

-36.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,833

$55.3 NOK 528

53.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,371

$182 NOK 1,733

-60.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$1,074 NOK 10.2K

-60.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,098

$804 NOK 7,667

-69.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$1,705 NOK 16.3K

-53.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$1,235 NOK 11.8K

-58.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.1K

$5,290 NOK 50.5K

-63.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.9K

$3,826 NOK 36.5K

-61.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Horten: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,074 in Horten. 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 $103 in Horten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $424 – 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 166% 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 $3,399 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $305 in Horten. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 74% 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 $852, than in Horten at $2,266. 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 $852 versus $2,266 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.