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 $2,305 in Moss, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,491 in Moss, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,678 in Moss, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 63% cheaper than Moss, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Moss is 72% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$18.83 NOK 176

-89.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$99.6 NOK 928

-81.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$13.32 NOK 124

-40.54%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$3.84 NOK 35.79

-50.26%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$3.37 NOK 31.38

-75.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$2.51 NOK 23.38

-86.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$6.67 NOK 62.2

-66.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$7.97 NOK 74.3

-52.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.03 NOK 18.94

-19.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$3.46 NOK 32.29

-53.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$3.56 NOK 33.17

-66.85%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$3.41 NOK 31.75

-41.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$13.19 NOK 123

20.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$12.59 NOK 117

-76.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$26.20 NOK 244

-58.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.43 NOK 31.99

-23.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.45 NOK 22.88

-50.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$3.35 NOK 31.20

-49.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$5.13 NOK 47.79

-69.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$2.47 NOK 23.00

-46.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$2.55 NOK 23.76

-54.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$2.47 NOK 22.98

-72.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$2.35 NOK 21.91

-76.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$15.81 NOK 147

-71.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$16.05 NOK 150

13.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.48 NOK 23.13

-26.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.74 NOK 34.82

-13.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$4.19 NOK 39.05

-78.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$86.0 NOK 801

-77.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$10.01 NOK 93.3

-86.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.38 NOK 12.84

-2.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$42.27 NOK 394

-80.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$2.25 NOK 20.96

-43.56%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$36.9K NOK 343.9K

-42.66%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$37.8K NOK 352.6K

-40.57%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$292 NOK 2,719

-75.95%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$20.14 NOK 188

-31.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$47.90 NOK 446

-63.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$40.21 NOK 375

3.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$33.43 NOK 312

-80.26%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$16.18 NOK 151

-64.28%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$271 NOK 2,526

12.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,677 NOK 34.3K

303.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$97.5 NOK 909

-44.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$64.9 NOK 605

-59.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$101 NOK 944

-16.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$141 NOK 1,310

-50.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$1,234 NOK 11.5K

-65.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$847 NOK 7,897

-71.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$1,857 NOK 17.3K

-55.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,443 NOK 13.4K

-64.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$5,221 NOK 48.7K

-60.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$4,092 NOK 38.1K

-62.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$4,453 NOK 41.5K

-85.73%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Moss: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $1,234 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 601% 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 $100 in Moss. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $437 – 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 170% 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 $3,457 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $271 in Moss. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 80% 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 $2,305. 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 $2,305 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.