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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,367 in Nesodden, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,487 in Nesodden, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,608 in Nesodden, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 64% cheaper than Nesodden, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Nesodden is 77% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$14.12 NOK 136

-86.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$40.97 NOK 396

-55.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$13.27 NOK 128

-43.63%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$4.21 NOK 40.73

-52.02%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$2.48 NOK 23.96

-65.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$2.17 NOK 20.96

-83.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$9.09 NOK 87.9

-76.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$8.91 NOK 86.1

-59.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$2.14 NOK 20.66

-22.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$3.44 NOK 33.27

-54.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$3.18 NOK 30.72

-62.58%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$4.16 NOK 40.25

-53.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$11.50 NOK 111

40.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$14.01 NOK 135

-78.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$40.15 NOK 388

-72.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.71 NOK 35.86

-26.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$2.32 NOK 22.42

-49.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$3.31 NOK 31.96

-48.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$3.98 NOK 38.51

-59.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$2.20 NOK 21.23

-37.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$2.24 NOK 21.70

-46.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$2.97 NOK 28.68

-77.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$1.84 NOK 17.81

-69.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$14.20 NOK 137

-67.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$18.15 NOK 175

-2.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$3.20 NOK 30.93

-41.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$3.86 NOK 37.29

-14.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$4.35 NOK 42.01

-79.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$73.7 NOK 712

-73.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$10.30 NOK 99.6

-86.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$1.40 NOK 13.57

-4.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$103 NOK 991

-91.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$2.12 NOK 20.48

-42.45%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$34.9K NOK 337.8K

-38.89%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$37.7K NOK 364.8K

-40.29%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$219 NOK 2,120

-67.78%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$43.53 NOK 421

-67.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$38.16 NOK 369

-54.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$49.76 NOK 481

-15.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$35.82 NOK 346

-80.79%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$15.20 NOK 147

-61.05%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$240 NOK 2,319

28.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$10.2K NOK 98.5K

45.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$117 NOK 1,133

-52.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$47.63 NOK 460

-45.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$97.7 NOK 945

-15.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$154 NOK 1,484

-54.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$1,213 NOK 11.7K

-64.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$911 NOK 8,806

-73.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$1,839 NOK 17.8K

-55.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$1,568 NOK 15.2K

-67.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$6,051 NOK 58.5K

-68.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$3,655 NOK 35.3K

-59.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$2,370 NOK 22.9K

-75.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

14.16%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Nesodden: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $1,213 in Nesodden. 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 309% higher in Nesodden, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $41.00 in Nesodden. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $481 – 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 Nesodden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nesodden costs about 175% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,550 in Nesodden. 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $240 in Nesodden. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 98% more in Nesodden, 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 $861, than in Nesodden at $2,367. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nesodden it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $2,367 in Nesodden. 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, Nesodden makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.