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 $2,281 in Narvik, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,445 in Narvik, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,609 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 70% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$20.04 NOK 187

-90.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$92.2 NOK 860

-79.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$15.01 NOK 140

-47.24%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$5.45 NOK 50.8

-64.95%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$2.54 NOK 23.71

-66.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$2.56 NOK 23.82

-86.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$11.00 NOK 102

-79.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$11.20 NOK 104

-66.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.39 NOK 22.25

-31.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$3.30 NOK 30.77

-50.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$2.48 NOK 23.12

-52.42%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$4.81 NOK 44.80

-58.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$11.42 NOK 106

39.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$15.34 NOK 143

-80.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$21.71 NOK 202

-50.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.28 NOK 30.59

-20.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.06 NOK 19.20

-40.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$3.55 NOK 33.12

-52.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$4.24 NOK 39.54

-62.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$2.49 NOK 23.24

-46.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$3.63 NOK 33.86

-67.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$2.73 NOK 25.45

-75.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.76 NOK 16.45

-68.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$15.26 NOK 142

-70.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$19.75 NOK 184

-7.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$3.34 NOK 31.12

-45.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.52 NOK 32.84

-8.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$5.16 NOK 48.11

-82.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$85.5 NOK 797

-77.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$12.90 NOK 120

-89.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.38 NOK 12.91

-2.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$51.2 NOK 477

-83.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$2.08 NOK 19.43

-38.94%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$30.2K NOK 281.5K

-29.95%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$30.9K NOK 288.2K

-27.28%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$250 NOK 2,332

-71.97%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$48.29 NOK 450

-71.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$75.7 NOK 705

-76.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$55.0 NOK 512

-24.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$25.69 NOK 239

-74.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$17.03 NOK 159

-66.06%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$335 NOK 3,123

-8.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$7,159 NOK 66.7K

107.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$90.7 NOK 845

-40.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$33.34 NOK 311

-21.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$132 NOK 1,233

-36.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$136 NOK 1,264

-48.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$938 NOK 8,738

-54.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$694 NOK 6,465

-65.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$1,557 NOK 14.5K

-47.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,174 NOK 10.9K

-56.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$5,382 NOK 50.2K

-61.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$4,879 NOK 45.5K

-68.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$3,657 NOK 34.1K

-82.63%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Narvik: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $938 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 476% 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: $243 vs $436 – 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 168% 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 $3,421 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $335 in Narvik. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 79% 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 $2,281. 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 $2,281 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.