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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,304 in Narvik, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,451 in Narvik, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,597 in Narvik, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Narvik is 73% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$20.19 NOK 191

-89.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿625

$91.7 NOK 867

-79.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$15.00 NOK 142

-47.60%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$5.58 NOK 52.8

-63.62%

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

$0.80 ฿26.66

$2.50 NOK 23.68

-68.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.69

$2.45 NOK 23.21

-85.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.6

$11.03 NOK 104

-80.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$10.91 NOK 103

-66.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$2.41 NOK 22.79

-28.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$3.22 NOK 30.43

-51.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.03

$2.54 NOK 24.05

-52.76%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.9

$4.93 NOK 46.61

-60.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿542

$11.28 NOK 107

43.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$15.14 NOK 143

-79.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$21.66 NOK 205

-50.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.4

$3.43 NOK 32.46

-19.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.98

$2.03 NOK 19.24

-42.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$3.70 NOK 34.99

-53.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$4.25 NOK 40.26

-62.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.55

$2.42 NOK 22.88

-42.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.60

$3.51 NOK 33.25

-66.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.07

$2.65 NOK 25.10

-75.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.32

$1.76 NOK 16.69

-70.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$14.75 NOK 140

-68.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿594

$18.61 NOK 176

-4.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.7

$3.46 NOK 32.73

-48.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$3.55 NOK 33.62

-5.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.30

$5.04 NOK 47.66

-81.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿623

$85.9 NOK 813

-78.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.08

$12.74 NOK 121

-88.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.74

$1.38 NOK 13.05

-2.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$50.7 NOK 479

-83.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.19

$2.08 NOK 19.66

-40.87%

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

$21.4K ฿715.7K

$30.3K NOK 286.9K

-29.31%

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

$21.8K ฿728.7K

$30.1K NOK 284.8K

-27.50%

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

$71.3 ฿2,382

$249 NOK 2,353

-71.32%

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

$14.01 ฿468

$47.54 NOK 450

-70.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿599

$75.7 NOK 716

-76.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,363

$53.3 NOK 504

-23.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$25.78 NOK 244

-73.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$16.77 NOK 159

-65.89%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$336 NOK 3,180

-8.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿490.1K

$7,144 NOK 67.6K

105.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,862

$89.8 NOK 850

-37.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$32.25 NOK 305

-19.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,832

$133 NOK 1,257

-36.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,370

$135 NOK 1,279

-47.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$926 NOK 8,763

-54.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,095

$705 NOK 6,667

-65.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$1,579 NOK 14.9K

-49.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$1,199 NOK 11.3K

-57.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.1K

$5,190 NOK 49.1K

-63.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.9K

$4,714 NOK 44.6K

-68.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$3,525 NOK 33.4K

-83.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

17.10%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Narvik: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $926 in Narvik. 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 492% higher in Narvik, 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 $92.0 in Narvik. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $434 – 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 Narvik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Narvik 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,456 in Narvik. 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 $336 in Narvik. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 78% more in Narvik, 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 Narvik at $2,304. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Narvik it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $2,304 in Narvik. 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, Narvik makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.