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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,547 in Lillestrom, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,020 in Lillestrom, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,492 in Lillestrom, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 67% cheaper than Lillestrom, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Lillestrom is 90% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$20.59 NOK 192

-90.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$102 NOK 949

-81.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$10.95 NOK 102

-27.67%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$5.07 NOK 47.26

-62.33%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$2.55 NOK 23.77

-67.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$2.12 NOK 19.73

-83.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$8.91 NOK 83.0

-75.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$10.11 NOK 94.2

-62.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.11 NOK 19.63

-22.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$3.32 NOK 30.92

-51.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$3.30 NOK 30.77

-64.24%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$4.22 NOK 39.32

-52.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$11.35 NOK 106

40.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$13.81 NOK 129

-78.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$24.70 NOK 230

-56.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.11 NOK 29.00

-16.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.35 NOK 21.93

-48.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$3.36 NOK 31.30

-49.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$4.18 NOK 39.00

-62.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$2.20 NOK 20.46

-40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$2.22 NOK 20.66

-47.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.97 NOK 18.39

-65.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.89 NOK 17.57

-70.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$14.45 NOK 135

-68.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$17.20 NOK 160

5.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$3.21 NOK 29.92

-42.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$4.02 NOK 37.47

-19.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$4.35 NOK 40.58

-79.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$73.2 NOK 682

-73.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$5.14 NOK 47.93

-73.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.40 NOK 13.05

-3.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$61.9 NOK 577

-86.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$2.17 NOK 20.22

-41.47%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$35.4K NOK 329.9K

-40.23%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$29.8K NOK 277.5K

-24.48%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$61.6 NOK 574

13.88%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$43.51 NOK 405

-68.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$37.76 NOK 352

-53.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$70.8 NOK 659

-41.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$18.06 NOK 168

-63.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$14.69 NOK 137

-60.65%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$240 NOK 2,234

27.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$4,135 NOK 38.5K

258.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$95.3 NOK 888

-42.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$46.68 NOK 435

-44.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$100 NOK 934

-15.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$176 NOK 1,638

-60.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$1,196 NOK 11.1K

-64.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$1,230 NOK 11.5K

-80.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$2,544 NOK 23.7K

-67.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$2,182 NOK 20.3K

-76.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$5,986 NOK 55.8K

-65.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$4,645 NOK 43.3K

-67.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$3,898 NOK 36.3K

-83.71%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Lillestrom: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $1,196 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 514% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $102 in Lillestrom. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $426 – 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 199% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,821 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $240 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 $852, than in Lillestrom at $2,547. 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 $852 versus $2,547 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.