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 $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,481 in Lillestrom, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,944 in Lillestrom, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,407 in Lillestrom, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 66% cheaper than Lillestrom, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Lillestrom is 86% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.1

$20.53 NOK 200

-90.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿603

$103 NOK 1,003

-82.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿258

$10.83 NOK 105

-27.33%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$4.79 NOK 46.64

-59.29%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$2.45 NOK 23.88

-65.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.61

$2.15 NOK 20.96

-85.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿70.2

$9.18 NOK 89.4

-76.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿121

$9.95 NOK 97.0

-63.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$2.13 NOK 20.71

-22.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿51.1

$3.43 NOK 33.40

-54.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.95

$3.16 NOK 30.74

-62.34%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿65.2

$4.16 NOK 40.56

-52.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿532

$11.53 NOK 112

40.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿104

$13.69 NOK 133

-76.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿355

$25.02 NOK 244

-56.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿87.0

$3.08 NOK 30.04

-13.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.00

$2.34 NOK 22.83

-47.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿54.1

$3.27 NOK 31.80

-49.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.7

$3.99 NOK 38.83

-61.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.53

$2.25 NOK 21.95

-40.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.75

$2.15 NOK 20.98

-43.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.22

$2.07 NOK 20.15

-67.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.54

$1.91 NOK 18.56

-70.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿154

$14.14 NOK 138

-66.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿557

$16.95 NOK 165

0.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$3.14 NOK 30.62

-42.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿104

$3.95 NOK 38.51

-19.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.70

$4.29 NOK 41.83

-78.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿614

$72.1 NOK 702

-74.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.18

$5.19 NOK 50.5

-72.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.88

$1.39 NOK 13.56

-3.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿267

$60.3 NOK 587

-86.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.88

$2.08 NOK 20.30

-38.46%

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

$21.8K ฿715.2K

$35.2K NOK 342.6K

-37.94%

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

$22.4K ฿734.1K

$30.8K NOK 299.9K

-27.25%

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

$70.5 ฿2,310

$59.5 NOK 580

18.37%

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

$14.05 ฿460

$42.80 NOK 417

-67.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿578

$37.55 NOK 366

-53.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,353

$70.1 NOK 682

-41.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿222

$17.58 NOK 171

-61.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿195

$14.50 NOK 141

-58.90%

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

$303 ฿9,928

$235 NOK 2,292

28.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.2K

$4,147 NOK 40.4K

260.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,793

$96.6 NOK 940

-43.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿861

$46.78 NOK 456

-43.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,811

$99.9 NOK 973

-14.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,284

$180 NOK 1,754

-61.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$1,239 NOK 12.1K

-65.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,834

$1,208 NOK 11.8K

-80.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.6K

$2,471 NOK 24.1K

-67.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.7K

$2,242 NOK 21.8K

-77.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿66.4K

$6,150 NOK 59.9K

-67.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿49.2K

$4,832 NOK 47.1K

-68.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.4K

$3,695 NOK 36.0K

-83.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

14.16%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Lillestrom: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,239 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 493% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $103 in Lillestrom. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $425 – 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 193% 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,722 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 $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $235 in Lillestrom. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 75% 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 $848, than in Lillestrom at $2,481. 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 $848 versus $2,481 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.