Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Mo i Rana Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Mo i Rana

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,499 in Mo i Rana, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,845 in Mo i Rana, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,190 in Mo i Rana, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 65% cheaper than Mo i Rana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Mo i Rana is 87% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$25.20 NOK 234

-92.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$101 NOK 936

-81.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$13.83 NOK 128

-43.46%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$4.78 NOK 44.44

-59.21%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$3.14 NOK 29.19

-72.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$2.82 NOK 26.18

-87.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$10.07 NOK 93.6

-78.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$9.39 NOK 87.2

-60.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.04 NOK 18.97

-16.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$3.34 NOK 31.05

-51.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$3.27 NOK 30.37

-65.14%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$4.27 NOK 39.63

-54.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$12.25 NOK 114

32.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$14.60 NOK 136

-78.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$28.44 NOK 264

-61.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.56 NOK 33.11

-22.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.40 NOK 22.29

-49.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$3.37 NOK 31.32

-51.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$4.55 NOK 42.29

-65.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.39 NOK 22.23

-41.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.47 NOK 22.96

-52.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$2.80 NOK 25.99

-76.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.85 NOK 17.19

-71.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$15.01 NOK 139

-68.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$25.36 NOK 236

-26.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$3.30 NOK 30.65

-45.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.99 NOK 37.05

-19.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$4.22 NOK 39.23

-78.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$73.4 NOK 682

-73.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$10.20 NOK 94.8

-86.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.39 NOK 12.95

-7.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$47.22 NOK 439

-83.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$2.69 NOK 24.98

-52.79%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$35.0K NOK 325.3K

-39.24%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$38.1K NOK 354.2K

-41.74%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$245 NOK 2,280

-71.86%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$38.94 NOK 362

-63.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$55.1 NOK 512

-67.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$48.72 NOK 453

-15.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$35.75 NOK 332

-80.53%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$16.77 NOK 156

-64.70%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$289 NOK 2,682

3.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$10.2K NOK 94.6K

46.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$94.2 NOK 875

-41.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$52.1 NOK 484

-48.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$110 NOK 1,017

-22.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$155 NOK 1,437

-54.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$1,233 NOK 11.5K

-65.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$887 NOK 8,236

-73.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,838 NOK 17.1K

-56.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,517 NOK 14.1K

-66.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$6,573 NOK 61.1K

-69.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$3,953 NOK 36.7K

-62.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mo i Rana: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,233 in Mo i Rana. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $101 in Mo i Rana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $468 – 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 Mo i Rana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mo i Rana costs about 188% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,749 in Mo i Rana. 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $289 in Mo i Rana. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 90% more in Mo i Rana, 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 $866, than in Mo i Rana at $2,499. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mo i Rana it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $2,499 in Mo i Rana. 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, Mo i Rana makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.