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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,529 in Narvik, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,902 in Narvik, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,276 in Narvik, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Narvik is 85% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$32.77 NOK 309

-93.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$94.8 NOK 893

-79.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$15.78 NOK 149

-64.07%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$5.11 NOK 48.15

-64.58%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$3.00 NOK 28.25

-74.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$2.89 NOK 27.21

-87.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$11.84 NOK 112

-81.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$12.26 NOK 116

-69.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$2.52 NOK 23.75

-18.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$3.37 NOK 31.79

-55.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$2.72 NOK 25.63

-48.53%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$5.38 NOK 50.7

-57.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$11.98 NOK 113

35.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$15.25 NOK 144

-80.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$23.46 NOK 221

-59.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$3.82 NOK 36.00

-29.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.09 NOK 19.68

-47.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$4.87 NOK 45.85

-66.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$4.47 NOK 42.08

-67.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$2.66 NOK 25.05

-51.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$4.84 NOK 45.60

-78.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$2.97 NOK 27.95

-75.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$2.24 NOK 21.15

-76.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$16.43 NOK 155

-74.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$16.14 NOK 152

13.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$3.47 NOK 32.71

-53.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$3.83 NOK 36.13

-24.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$4.62 NOK 43.57

-80.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$92.7 NOK 873

-41.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$15.91 NOK 150

-92.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$2.08 NOK 19.59

-72.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$54.6 NOK 514

-95.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$2.22 NOK 20.89

-34.68%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$40.5K NOK 381.4K

-48.08%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$38.7K NOK 364.9K

-31.77%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$260 NOK 2,454

-75.56%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$51.4 NOK 484

-74.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$85.2 NOK 803

-75.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$56.6 NOK 534

-31.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$27.16 NOK 256

-85.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$17.37 NOK 164

-62.12%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$320 NOK 3,017

144.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$7,707 NOK 72.6K

90.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$126 NOK 1,190

-56.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$35.09 NOK 331

-29.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$143 NOK 1,352

-34.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$168 NOK 1,584

-56.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$930 NOK 8,766

-47.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$745 NOK 7,019

-61.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$1,670 NOK 15.7K

-46.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$1,229 NOK 11.6K

-57.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$5,415 NOK 51.0K

-63.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$4,789 NOK 45.1K

-69.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$3,580 NOK 33.7K

-83.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.01

11.18%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Narvik: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $930 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 495% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $95.0 in Narvik. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $461 – 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 171% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,793 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $320 in Narvik. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 91% 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 $932, than in Narvik at $2,529. 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 $932 versus $2,529 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.