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 $2,519 in Lillestrom, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,937 in Lillestrom, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,354 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 89% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$20.58 NOK 195

-90.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$103 NOK 973

-81.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$10.91 NOK 103

-27.96%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$4.84 NOK 45.88

-58.06%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$2.55 NOK 24.22

-68.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$2.19 NOK 20.81

-84.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$9.16 NOK 86.8

-76.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$10.04 NOK 95.2

-63.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$2.13 NOK 20.22

-18.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$3.35 NOK 31.75

-53.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$3.15 NOK 29.87

-61.90%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$4.32 NOK 40.98

-54.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$11.53 NOK 109

40.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$13.93 NOK 132

-78.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$24.85 NOK 236

-56.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.05 NOK 28.88

-9.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.25 NOK 21.31

-48.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$3.35 NOK 31.81

-48.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$4.08 NOK 38.73

-61.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$2.22 NOK 21.09

-37.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$2.15 NOK 20.39

-46.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.98 NOK 18.74

-66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.89 NOK 17.88

-72.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$14.21 NOK 135

-67.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$16.81 NOK 159

5.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$3.18 NOK 30.18

-43.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$3.91 NOK 37.06

-14.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$4.24 NOK 40.18

-78.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$72.3 NOK 686

-74.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$5.02 NOK 47.61

-71.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.39 NOK 13.20

-3.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$61.8 NOK 586

-86.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$2.16 NOK 20.44

-43.06%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$35.2K NOK 334.2K

-39.18%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$30.8K NOK 292.3K

-29.21%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$61.5 NOK 583

15.95%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$44.27 NOK 420

-68.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$38.60 NOK 366

-53.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$70.7 NOK 670

-42.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$17.36 NOK 165

-60.37%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$14.59 NOK 138

-60.80%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$240 NOK 2,280

28.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$4,151 NOK 39.4K

253.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$97.6 NOK 926

-42.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$46.42 NOK 440

-43.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$99.4 NOK 942

-14.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$174 NOK 1,650

-59.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$1,238 NOK 11.7K

-65.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$1,238 NOK 11.7K

-80.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$2,523 NOK 23.9K

-68.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$2,199 NOK 20.9K

-76.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$5,590 NOK 53.0K

-65.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$4,151 NOK 39.4K

-64.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$3,710 NOK 35.2K

-83.96%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Lillestrom: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,238 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 523% 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 $103 in Lillestrom. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 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 196% 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 $3,779 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 $308 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 74% 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 $2,519. 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 $2,519 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.