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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,689 in Jessheim, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,939 in Jessheim, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,190 in Jessheim, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Jessheim is 100% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$25.24 NOK 240

-92.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$81.2 NOK 771

-76.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$14.93 NOK 142

-48.09%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$4.63 NOK 43.92

-58.53%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$2.81 NOK 26.71

-71.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$3.12 NOK 29.58

-88.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$10.26 NOK 97.4

-78.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$9.06 NOK 86.0

-59.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$2.12 NOK 20.08

-22.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$4.17 NOK 39.55

-60.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$2.24 NOK 21.22

-46.88%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.96 NOK 28.08

-32.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$13.45 NOK 128

18.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$13.42 NOK 127

-77.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$27.46 NOK 261

-60.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.32 NOK 22.00

18.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.03 NOK 19.29

-41.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.81 NOK 26.69

-41.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$3.74 NOK 35.46

-59.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.86 NOK 17.65

-25.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$2.70 NOK 25.67

-55.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$2.43 NOK 23.04

-71.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.64 NOK 6.03

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$13.78 NOK 131

-66.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$17.86 NOK 170

-7.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$3.29 NOK 31.22

-44.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$4.33 NOK 41.10

-26.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$4.55 NOK 43.17

-80.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$88.0 NOK 836

-78.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$10.19 NOK 96.7

-86.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.46 NOK 13.82

-8.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$42.96 NOK 408

-81.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$2.06 NOK 19.58

-40.29%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$36.0K NOK 342.0K

-39.99%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$36.1K NOK 342.4K

-37.50%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$303 NOK 2,872

-76.69%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$31.57 NOK 300

-56.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$56.4 NOK 535

-69.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$49.53 NOK 470

-16.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$34.92 NOK 331

-80.07%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$17.98 NOK 171

-67.91%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$270 NOK 2,567

13.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$14.9K NOK 141.8K

-2.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$103 NOK 981

-46.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$66.4 NOK 630

-60.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$122 NOK 1,162

-29.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$166 NOK 1,577

-56.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$1,329 NOK 12.6K

-67.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$1,124 NOK 10.7K

-78.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$1,801 NOK 17.1K

-54.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$1,733 NOK 16.4K

-70.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$8,319 NOK 79.0K

-76.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$3,797 NOK 36.0K

-83.70%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Jessheim: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $1,329 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 514% 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: $241 vs $416 – 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 209% 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 $4,033 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 $307 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 73% 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 $869, than in Jessheim at $2,689. 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 $869 versus $2,689 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.