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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,758 in Jessheim, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,975 in Jessheim, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,192 in Jessheim, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 69% cheaper than Jessheim, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Jessheim is 107% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$25.20 NOK 242

-91.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$81.4 NOK 780

-77.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$15.27 NOK 147

-48.53%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$4.77 NOK 45.73

-57.44%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$2.81 NOK 27.00

-71.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$3.11 NOK 29.83

-88.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$10.27 NOK 98.5

-79.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$8.95 NOK 85.9

-58.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$2.09 NOK 20.04

-17.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$3.99 NOK 38.32

-60.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$2.15 NOK 20.64

-44.19%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$3.13 NOK 30.00

-37.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$13.64 NOK 131

18.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$13.90 NOK 133

-77.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$27.77 NOK 266

-61.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$2.41 NOK 23.16

14.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$2.04 NOK 19.58

-42.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$2.81 NOK 27.00

-39.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$3.61 NOK 34.66

-55.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$1.92 NOK 18.45

-27.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$2.61 NOK 25.01

-55.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$2.42 NOK 23.24

-72.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.60 NOK 5.72

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$13.93 NOK 134

-66.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$17.27 NOK 166

2.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$3.47 NOK 33.33

-48.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$4.17 NOK 40.01

-19.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$4.37 NOK 41.91

-79.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$88.9 NOK 853

-79.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$9.96 NOK 95.6

-85.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$1.39 NOK 13.36

-3.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$41.53 NOK 398

-80.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$2.08 NOK 19.92

-40.87%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$36.9K NOK 353.5K

-41.84%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$34.8K NOK 333.6K

-37.25%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$303 NOK 2,902

-76.42%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$31.44 NOK 302

-55.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$56.3 NOK 540

-68.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$49.89 NOK 479

-18.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$34.96 NOK 335

-80.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$18.43 NOK 177

-68.96%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$268 NOK 2,573

14.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$14.9K NOK 142.7K

-1.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$102 NOK 982

-45.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$66.3 NOK 636

-60.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$122 NOK 1,167

-30.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$162 NOK 1,553

-56.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$1,317 NOK 12.6K

-67.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$1,120 NOK 10.7K

-78.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$1,826 NOK 17.5K

-56.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$1,706 NOK 16.4K

-70.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$7,990 NOK 76.6K

-75.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$3,809 NOK 36.5K

-84.38%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Jessheim: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,317 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 540% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $81.0 in Jessheim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $417 – 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 224% 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 $4,137 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $268 in Jessheim. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 71% 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 $852, than in Jessheim at $2,758. 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 $852 versus $2,758 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.