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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,677 in Jessheim, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,908 in Jessheim, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,140 in Jessheim, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 68% cheaper than Jessheim, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Jessheim is 100% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$25.04 NOK 233

-92.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$82.4 NOK 766

-77.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$15.27 NOK 142

-50.88%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$4.63 NOK 43.05

-58.32%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$2.91 NOK 27.08

-73.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$3.16 NOK 29.42

-89.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$10.20 NOK 94.9

-78.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$8.76 NOK 81.5

-57.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$2.11 NOK 19.59

-18.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$3.99 NOK 37.09

-60.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$2.20 NOK 20.43

-46.36%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$3.10 NOK 28.81

-36.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$13.48 NOK 125

18.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$13.63 NOK 127

-76.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$27.43 NOK 255

-60.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$2.36 NOK 21.97

11.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$2.05 NOK 19.09

-42.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$2.71 NOK 25.22

-39.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$3.57 NOK 33.16

-56.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$1.85 NOK 17.21

-25.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$2.61 NOK 24.32

-55.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$2.32 NOK 21.57

-71.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.62 NOK 5.78

-17.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$13.42 NOK 125

-66.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$17.83 NOK 166

2.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$3.47 NOK 32.25

-48.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$4.22 NOK 39.23

-24.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$4.49 NOK 41.71

-79.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$89.3 NOK 830

-78.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$10.05 NOK 93.4

-85.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$1.38 NOK 12.81

-5.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$42.32 NOK 394

-80.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$2.09 NOK 19.40

-38.76%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$35.7K NOK 332.2K

-40.39%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$35.4K NOK 329.4K

-38.72%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$301 NOK 2,803

-77.04%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$31.29 NOK 291

-55.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$56.3 NOK 523

-68.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$49.42 NOK 460

-14.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$35.83 NOK 333

-81.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$18.01 NOK 168

-67.13%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$270 NOK 2,507

10.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$14.6K NOK 136.2K

1.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$104 NOK 972

-46.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$67.0 NOK 623

-59.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$121 NOK 1,126

-29.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$166 NOK 1,546

-56.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$1,297 NOK 12.1K

-66.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$1,096 NOK 10.2K

-78.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$1,820 NOK 16.9K

-56.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$1,706 NOK 15.9K

-70.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$8,188 NOK 76.1K

-75.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$3,871 NOK 36.0K

-83.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

-1.57%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Last update for Jessheim: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $1,297 in Jessheim. 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 516% higher in Jessheim, 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 $82 in Jessheim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $415 – 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 Jessheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jessheim costs about 217% 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 $4,016 in Jessheim. 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 $270 in Jessheim. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 70% more in Jessheim, 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 Jessheim at $2,677. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jessheim it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $2,677 in Jessheim. 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, Jessheim makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.