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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,413 in Mo i Rana, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,705 in Mo i Rana, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,997 in Mo i Rana, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 64% cheaper than Mo i Rana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Mo i Rana is 81% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.7

$25.78 NOK 248

-92.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿616

$102 NOK 982

-82.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿251

$13.64 NOK 131

-45.16%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.7

$4.92 NOK 47.34

-58.94%

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

$0.85 ฿28.45

$3.23 NOK 31.11

-73.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.94

$2.84 NOK 27.33

-87.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$10.31 NOK 99.3

-79.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$9.87 NOK 95.1

-63.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$1.96 NOK 18.92

-15.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.6

$3.39 NOK 32.65

-53.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.95

$3.19 NOK 30.74

-62.70%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.0

$4.11 NOK 39.56

-52.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$12.08 NOK 116

34.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿100

$14.87 NOK 143

-79.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿367

$29.03 NOK 280

-62.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.0

$3.49 NOK 33.62

-22.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$2.46 NOK 23.71

-52.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$3.35 NOK 32.30

-49.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$4.34 NOK 41.80

-63.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.45

$2.36 NOK 22.73

-41.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.38

$2.54 NOK 24.46

-52.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.46

$2.76 NOK 26.55

-75.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.70

$1.81 NOK 17.48

-69.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$15.39 NOK 148

-69.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿591

$17.40 NOK 168

1.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

$3.43 NOK 33.01

-45.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$4.08 NOK 39.34

-19.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

$4.16 NOK 40.10

-78.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

$74.4 NOK 716

-73.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.82

$10.06 NOK 96.9

-86.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

$1.45 NOK 13.98

-7.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$47.24 NOK 455

-82.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.11

$2.62 NOK 25.21

-53.44%

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

$21.4K ฿716.8K

$35.5K NOK 341.6K

-39.79%

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

$22.5K ฿756.3K

$38.2K NOK 367.5K

-40.95%

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

$70.7 ฿2,372

$237 NOK 2,278

-70.12%

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

$14.04 ฿471

$38.80 NOK 374

-63.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿587

$55.0 NOK 530

-68.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,415

$48.64 NOK 468

-13.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$35.07 NOK 338

-80.38%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$16.66 NOK 160

-64.47%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$282 NOK 2,715

9.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿499.5K

$10.3K NOK 98.9K

44.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,872

$96.7 NOK 931

-42.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿877

$51.9 NOK 500

-49.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,787

$107 NOK 1,030

-22.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,365

$153 NOK 1,474

-53.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$1,195 NOK 11.5K

-63.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,020

$897 NOK 8,643

-73.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.6K

$1,809 NOK 17.4K

-54.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$1,541 NOK 14.8K

-66.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

$5,975 NOK 57.6K

-67.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$4,060 NOK 39.1K

-63.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

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 12, 2026

Last update for Mo i Rana: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $1,195 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $102 in Mo i Rana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $453 – 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 180% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,619 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $282 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 86% 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 $861, than in Mo i Rana at $2,413. 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 $861 versus $2,413 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.