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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,741 in Stavanger, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,135 in Stavanger, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,530 in Stavanger, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 69% cheaper than Stavanger, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Stavanger is 105% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$25.17 NOK 234

-92.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$121 NOK 1,128

-84.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$15.07 NOK 140

-50.23%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$4.98 NOK 46.28

-61.24%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$4.03 NOK 37.46

-80.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$3.35 NOK 31.18

-90.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$11.18 NOK 104

-80.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$10.23 NOK 95.2

-63.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$2.37 NOK 22.02

-27.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$3.03 NOK 28.22

-48.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$4.48 NOK 41.64

-73.66%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$4.35 NOK 40.46

-54.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$13.27 NOK 123

20.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$16.31 NOK 152

-80.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$27.77 NOK 258

-60.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$3.54 NOK 32.92

-25.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$2.61 NOK 24.32

-55.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$3.00 NOK 27.90

-45.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$4.66 NOK 43.33

-66.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$2.12 NOK 19.73

-34.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$2.97 NOK 27.59

-60.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$2.50 NOK 23.27

-73.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$1.76 NOK 16.39

-71.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$14.97 NOK 139

-69.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$18.93 NOK 176

-3.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$3.62 NOK 33.68

-50.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$3.98 NOK 37.00

-20.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$4.45 NOK 41.34

-79.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$67.7 NOK 630

-71.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$15.12 NOK 141

-90.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$2.17 NOK 20.17

-39.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$101 NOK 942

-92.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$2.14 NOK 19.91

-40.19%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$34.2K NOK 317.7K

-37.67%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$32.6K NOK 303.0K

-33.38%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$193 NOK 1,796

-64.16%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$42.05 NOK 391

-66.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$82.6 NOK 768

-78.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$56.6 NOK 527

-25.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$36.06 NOK 335

-81.53%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$19.57 NOK 182

-69.75%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$322 NOK 2,992

-6.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$13.2K NOK 122.8K

12.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$120 NOK 1,116

-53.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$59.8 NOK 556

-54.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$105 NOK 973

-18.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$158 NOK 1,473

-54.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$1,639 NOK 15.2K

-73.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$1,140 NOK 10.6K

-78.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$2,764 NOK 25.7K

-71.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$1,791 NOK 16.7K

-72.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$5,956 NOK 55.4K

-66.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$5,337 NOK 49.6K

-71.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$4,925 NOK 45.8K

-87.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

10.86%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $1,639 in Stavanger. 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 684% higher in Stavanger, 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 in Chiang Mai versus $121 in Stavanger. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $470 – 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 Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stavanger costs about 224% 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,111 in Stavanger. 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $322 in Stavanger. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 93% more in Stavanger, 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 $845, than in Stavanger at $2,741. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stavanger it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $2,741 in Stavanger. 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, Stavanger makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.