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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,689 in Stavanger, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,070 in Stavanger, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,451 in Stavanger, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 68% cheaper than Stavanger, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Stavanger is 100% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$25.39 NOK 241

-92.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$120 NOK 1,138

-84.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$15.31 NOK 145

-49.38%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$5.03 NOK 47.77

-61.83%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$3.88 NOK 36.83

-79.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$3.47 NOK 32.89

-89.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$10.98 NOK 104

-79.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$10.21 NOK 96.9

-64.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$2.31 NOK 21.93

-28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$3.12 NOK 29.59

-47.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$4.58 NOK 43.48

-74.02%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$4.48 NOK 42.52

-55.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$12.90 NOK 122

23.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$16.73 NOK 159

-81.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$27.83 NOK 264

-60.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.48 NOK 33.01

-20.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.64 NOK 25.03

-55.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$3.11 NOK 29.53

-47.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$4.68 NOK 44.37

-67.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$2.08 NOK 19.77

-33.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$3.08 NOK 29.27

-61.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$2.47 NOK 23.47

-71.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$1.83 NOK 17.38

-69.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$14.97 NOK 142

-69.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$18.46 NOK 175

-10.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$3.68 NOK 34.89

-50.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$4.10 NOK 38.90

-21.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$4.58 NOK 43.47

-80.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$68.6 NOK 651

-72.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$15.31 NOK 145

-91.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$2.06 NOK 19.57

-34.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$100 NOK 953

-92.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$2.11 NOK 20.01

-41.71%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$34.4K NOK 326.1K

-37.05%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$32.4K NOK 307.3K

-30.36%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$190 NOK 1,806

-62.92%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$42.20 NOK 401

-67.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$83.1 NOK 789

-79.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$55.9 NOK 531

-26.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$35.16 NOK 334

-80.20%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$19.57 NOK 186

-70.52%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$321 NOK 3,048

-4.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$13.0K NOK 123.1K

12.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$116 NOK 1,098

-51.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$58.0 NOK 550

-54.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$107 NOK 1,017

-19.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$160 NOK 1,519

-54.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

-73.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$1,126 NOK 10.7K

-78.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$2,732 NOK 25.9K

-70.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$1,774 NOK 16.8K

-71.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$6,036 NOK 57.3K

-67.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$5,366 NOK 50.9K

-72.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$5,104 NOK 48.4K

-87.88%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $1,595 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 725% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $120 in Stavanger. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $473 – 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 209% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,033 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $321 in Stavanger. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 96% 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 $869, than in Stavanger at $2,689. 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 $869 versus $2,689 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.