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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,663 in Lillestrom, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,157 in Lillestrom, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,651 in Lillestrom, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 65% cheaper than Lillestrom, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Lillestrom is 95% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$21.44 NOK 202

-90.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$122 NOK 1,151

-83.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$11.74 NOK 111

-51.70%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$6.34 NOK 59.7

-71.45%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$4.21 NOK 39.62

-81.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$3.26 NOK 30.74

-89.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$12.57 NOK 118

-82.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$10.88 NOK 103

-65.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$2.41 NOK 22.67

-14.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$3.78 NOK 35.62

-60.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$4.28 NOK 40.28

-67.29%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$5.97 NOK 56.3

-62.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$13.60 NOK 128

19.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$14.03 NOK 132

-79.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$28.41 NOK 268

-66.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$3.56 NOK 33.57

-24.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$2.92 NOK 27.53

-62.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$4.41 NOK 41.57

-63.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$5.36 NOK 50.5

-72.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$2.97 NOK 27.93

-56.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$3.78 NOK 35.57

-71.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$1.86 NOK 17.56

-61.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$2.43 NOK 22.90

-78.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$18.18 NOK 171

-76.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$16.86 NOK 159

8.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$5.80 NOK 54.6

-71.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$5.88 NOK 55.4

-50.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$4.60 NOK 43.35

-80.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

$87.5 NOK 824

-38.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$11.87 NOK 112

-90.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$1.83 NOK 17.23

-68.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$81.9 NOK 771

-97.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$2.32 NOK 21.84

-37.50%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$49.1K NOK 462.5K

-57.20%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$49.2K NOK 463.1K

-46.25%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$258 NOK 2,432

-75.34%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$36.16 NOK 341

-64.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$64.6 NOK 608

-68.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$51.2 NOK 482

-23.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$36.85 NOK 347

-89.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$18.04 NOK 170

-63.53%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$250 NOK 2,359

213.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$13.3K NOK 125.7K

9.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$102 NOK 960

-45.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$56.8 NOK 535

-56.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$127 NOK 1,198

-25.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$159 NOK 1,495

-53.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$1,306 NOK 12.3K

-62.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$1,027 NOK 9,670

-71.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$2,049 NOK 19.3K

-56.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$1,690 NOK 15.9K

-69.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$6,240 NOK 58.8K

-68.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

$4,378 NOK 41.2K

-67.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$3,815 NOK 35.9K

-84.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.98

11.85%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Lillestrom: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $1,306 in Lillestrom. 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 534% higher in Lillestrom, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $122 in Lillestrom. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $506 – 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 Lillestrom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lillestrom costs about 186% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,995 in Lillestrom. 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $250 in Lillestrom. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 110% more in Lillestrom, 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 $932, than in Lillestrom at $2,663. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lillestrom it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $2,663 in Lillestrom. 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, Lillestrom makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.