Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Molde Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Molde

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,463 in Molde, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,636 in Molde, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,808 in Molde, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 65% cheaper than Molde, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Molde is 84% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$25.70 NOK 239

-92.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$79.6 NOK 742

-76.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$13.48 NOK 126

-41.25%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$5.16 NOK 48.10

-62.98%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$2.77 NOK 25.80

-69.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$2.62 NOK 24.43

-86.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$9.27 NOK 86.4

-76.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$9.93 NOK 92.5

-61.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.20 NOK 20.47

-25.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$3.08 NOK 28.69

-47.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$3.77 NOK 35.13

-68.70%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$3.08 NOK 28.68

-34.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$9.28 NOK 86.5

71.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$17.33 NOK 162

-82.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$27.43 NOK 256

-60.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.49 NOK 23.16

4.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$3.13 NOK 29.16

-61.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$3.39 NOK 31.61

-49.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$5.70 NOK 53.1

-72.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.56 NOK 14.55

-15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$2.27 NOK 21.13

-48.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$2.58 NOK 24.09

-74.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.83 NOK 17.02

-69.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$18.19 NOK 169

-75.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$16.75 NOK 156

8.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.85 NOK 26.57

-35.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$4.08 NOK 38.04

-20.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$4.20 NOK 39.13

-78.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$80.8 NOK 753

-76.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$10.31 NOK 96.1

-86.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.46 NOK 13.63

-7.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$47.39 NOK 442

-82.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$2.14 NOK 19.97

-40.65%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$34.9K NOK 325.0K

-39.32%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$38.0K NOK 353.8K

-40.77%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$241 NOK 2,244

-70.86%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$38.28 NOK 357

-64.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$54.6 NOK 509

-67.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$49.56 NOK 462

-16.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$35.44 NOK 330

-81.38%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$16.43 NOK 153

-64.82%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$200 NOK 1,862

53.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$10.3K NOK 95.8K

44.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$96.8 NOK 902

-43.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$53.0 NOK 494

-50.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$101 NOK 937

-15.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$154 NOK 1,435

-54.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$1,211 NOK 11.3K

-65.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$901 NOK 8,399

-73.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$1,416 NOK 13.2K

-41.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,415 NOK 13.2K

-63.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$6,886 NOK 64.2K

-70.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$4,940 NOK 46.0K

-69.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$3,728 NOK 34.7K

-82.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.75

33.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Molde: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $1,211 in Molde. 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 487% higher in Molde, 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 $80.0 in Molde. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $448 – 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 Molde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Molde costs about 189% 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 $3,695 in Molde. 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 $200 in Molde. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 84% more in Molde, 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 Molde at $2,463. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Molde it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $2,463 in Molde. 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, Molde makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.