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 $2,271 in Horten, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,451 in Horten, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,631 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

$1.96 ฿63.6

$28.64 NOK 267

-93.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿611

$101 NOK 945

-81.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿258

$13.56 NOK 126

-41.59%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.2

$5.06 NOK 47.12

-62.25%

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

$0.84 ฿27.25

$2.53 NOK 23.62

-66.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.44

$2.12 NOK 19.77

-83.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

$9.18 NOK 85.6

-75.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$9.85 NOK 91.8

-61.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$2.14 NOK 19.95

-23.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.8

$3.38 NOK 31.52

-52.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.40

$3.20 NOK 29.78

-63.13%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.4

$4.18 NOK 38.94

-51.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿517

$9.52 NOK 88.7

66.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$13.25 NOK 124

-77.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿350

$23.68 NOK 221

-54.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.0

$3.62 NOK 33.70

-27.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.65

$2.23 NOK 20.83

-45.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.4

$3.25 NOK 30.27

-47.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.2

$3.84 NOK 35.79

-58.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.89

$2.01 NOK 18.73

-34.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.01

$2.15 NOK 20.07

-45.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.85

$2.81 NOK 26.20

-76.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.21

$1.82 NOK 16.93

-69.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

$14.10 NOK 131

-67.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

$18.65 NOK 174

-2.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

$3.27 NOK 30.48

-44.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

$4.08 NOK 38.06

-20.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

$5.04 NOK 46.93

-82.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

$75.6 NOK 704

-74.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.95

$10.32 NOK 96.2

-86.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

$1.08 NOK 10.08

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

$99.3 NOK 926

-91.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.40

$2.08 NOK 19.40

-38.94%

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

$21.2K ฿687.8K

$35.3K NOK 329.4K

-40.14%

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

$22.5K ฿731.0K

$38.1K NOK 355.5K

-41.05%

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

$70.2 ฿2,281

$216 NOK 2,017

-67.58%

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

$13.77 ฿448

$42.91 NOK 400

-67.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿572

$30.17 NOK 281

-41.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

$49.02 NOK 457

-15.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

$34.95 NOK 326

-81.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿188

$14.70 NOK 137

-60.68%

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

$306 ฿9,953

$309 NOK 2,878

-0.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

$9,993 NOK 93.1K

48.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,768

$114 NOK 1,064

-52.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿850

$40.42 NOK 377

-35.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,748

$56.8 NOK 529

48.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,257

$181 NOK 1,685

-61.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

$1,045 NOK 9,737

-59.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

$802 NOK 7,477

-70.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

$1,715 NOK 16.0K

-51.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

$1,217 NOK 11.3K

-57.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

$6,086 NOK 56.7K

-66.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

$4,662 NOK 43.5K

-67.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

$3,505 NOK 32.7K

-81.88%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Horten: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $1,045 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 452% 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: $243 vs $420 – 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,407 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $309 in Horten. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 72% 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 $2,271. 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 $2,271 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.