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 $2,404 in Molde, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,650 in Molde, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,896 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 81% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$25.04 NOK 237

-91.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$81.8 NOK 776

-77.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$13.47 NOK 128

-41.65%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$5.34 NOK 50.6

-61.99%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$2.87 NOK 27.22

-72.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$2.64 NOK 25.04

-86.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$8.99 NOK 85.3

-76.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$10.19 NOK 96.6

-63.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$2.17 NOK 20.54

-20.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$3.07 NOK 29.11

-48.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$3.91 NOK 37.04

-69.31%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.98 NOK 28.26

-33.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.97 NOK 85.0

80.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$17.07 NOK 162

-82.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$28.04 NOK 266

-61.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.49 NOK 23.63

11.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.99 NOK 28.38

-60.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$3.42 NOK 32.43

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$5.54 NOK 52.5

-71.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.54 NOK 14.64

-9.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$2.28 NOK 21.65

-49.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$2.71 NOK 25.66

-75.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.92 NOK 18.24

-72.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$18.08 NOK 171

-74.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$22.96 NOK 218

-22.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.87 NOK 27.21

-37.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$3.94 NOK 37.35

-15.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$4.28 NOK 40.61

-78.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$81.5 NOK 772

-77.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$10.20 NOK 96.7

-86.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.40 NOK 13.23

-4.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$46.41 NOK 440

-82.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$2.25 NOK 21.36

-45.33%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$35.4K NOK 335.9K

-39.49%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$38.7K NOK 366.5K

-43.54%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$241 NOK 2,285

-70.40%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$37.75 NOK 358

-62.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$55.4 NOK 525

-67.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$49.61 NOK 470

-17.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$35.75 NOK 339

-80.76%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$16.73 NOK 159

-65.81%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$202 NOK 1,918

52.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$10.1K NOK 95.7K

45.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$96.7 NOK 917

-42.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$52.4 NOK 497

-50.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$101 NOK 953

-15.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$152 NOK 1,437

-53.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$1,194 NOK 11.3K

-64.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$901 NOK 8,541

-73.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$1,400 NOK 13.3K

-43.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$1,456 NOK 13.8K

-65.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$4,189 NOK 39.7K

-85.80%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Molde: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,194 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 604% 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 $82.0 in Molde. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $459 – 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 182% 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 $3,606 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $202 in Molde. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 88% 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 $2,404. 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 $2,404 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.