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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,369 in Moss, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,549 in Moss, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,729 in Moss, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 64% cheaper than Moss, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Moss is 78% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$18.33 NOK 176

-88.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$97.8 NOK 938

-80.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$13.40 NOK 129

-41.34%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$3.84 NOK 36.88

-47.14%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$3.20 NOK 30.70

-75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$2.59 NOK 24.84

-86.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$6.68 NOK 64.1

-67.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$8.06 NOK 77.3

-54.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$2.02 NOK 19.36

-14.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$3.30 NOK 31.69

-52.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$3.66 NOK 35.12

-67.21%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$3.26 NOK 31.24

-39.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$13.67 NOK 131

18.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$12.65 NOK 121

-75.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$26.77 NOK 257

-59.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$3.59 NOK 34.43

-22.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$2.40 NOK 23.04

-51.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$3.32 NOK 31.83

-48.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$4.97 NOK 47.63

-68.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$2.46 NOK 23.56

-43.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$2.50 NOK 23.94

-53.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$2.49 NOK 23.87

-73.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$2.34 NOK 22.45

-77.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$15.95 NOK 153

-70.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$15.60 NOK 150

13.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$2.61 NOK 24.99

-31.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$3.59 NOK 34.43

-6.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$4.34 NOK 41.64

-79.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$84.8 NOK 814

-78.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$10.30 NOK 98.8

-86.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$1.40 NOK 13.43

-4.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$42.72 NOK 410

-81.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$2.25 NOK 21.59

-45.33%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$36.8K NOK 352.5K

-41.67%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$37.3K NOK 357.9K

-41.50%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$293 NOK 2,810

-75.65%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$20.14 NOK 193

-30.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$46.98 NOK 451

-61.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$39.87 NOK 382

2.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$32.29 NOK 310

-78.69%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$16.18 NOK 155

-64.65%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$273 NOK 2,623

12.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$3,594 NOK 34.5K

308.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$94.4 NOK 906

-40.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$65.9 NOK 632

-60.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$102 NOK 976

-16.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$139 NOK 1,334

-48.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$1,264 NOK 12.1K

-66.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$857 NOK 8,221

-71.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$1,849 NOK 17.7K

-56.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$1,403 NOK 13.5K

-63.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$5,172 NOK 49.6K

-62.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$4,002 NOK 38.4K

-63.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$4,408 NOK 42.3K

-86.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

-0.99%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Moss: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,264 in Moss. 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 641% higher in Moss, 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 $98.0 in Moss. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $438 – 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 Moss: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moss costs about 178% 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 $3,553 in Moss. 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 $273 in Moss. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 79% more in Moss, 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 Moss at $2,369. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moss it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $2,369 in Moss. 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, Moss makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.