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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,699 in Stavanger, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,150 in Stavanger, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,601 in Stavanger, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Stavanger is 103% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$25.22 NOK 242

-91.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$123 NOK 1,180

-84.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$15.08 NOK 145

-47.88%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$5.02 NOK 48.16

-59.56%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$3.89 NOK 37.28

-79.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$3.40 NOK 32.64

-89.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$10.99 NOK 105

-80.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$10.26 NOK 98.4

-64.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$2.40 NOK 22.99

-27.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$3.11 NOK 29.80

-49.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$4.64 NOK 44.54

-74.14%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$4.52 NOK 43.38

-56.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$12.98 NOK 124

25.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$16.24 NOK 156

-81.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$27.67 NOK 265

-60.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$3.53 NOK 33.83

-21.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$2.52 NOK 24.20

-53.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$3.05 NOK 29.27

-43.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$4.66 NOK 44.68

-65.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$2.05 NOK 19.66

-32.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$3.04 NOK 29.20

-61.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$2.58 NOK 24.76

-74.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$1.75 NOK 16.75

-70.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$15.11 NOK 145

-69.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$17.96 NOK 172

-1.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$3.54 NOK 33.99

-49.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$4.08 NOK 39.14

-18.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$4.58 NOK 43.95

-80.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$69.1 NOK 663

-73.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$15.37 NOK 147

-90.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$2.07 NOK 19.85

-35.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$103 NOK 983

-92.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$2.21 NOK 21.17

-44.34%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$34.7K NOK 333.0K

-38.26%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$32.7K NOK 313.8K

-33.29%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$192 NOK 1,842

-62.86%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$42.41 NOK 407

-66.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$80.9 NOK 776

-77.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$55.8 NOK 535

-26.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$35.17 NOK 337

-80.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$19.02 NOK 182

-69.93%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$314 NOK 3,010

-1.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$12.9K NOK 123.6K

13.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$116 NOK 1,108

-51.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$58.4 NOK 560

-55.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$107 NOK 1,030

-21.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$157 NOK 1,510

-54.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$1,595 NOK 15.3K

-73.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$1,135 NOK 10.9K

-78.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$2,798 NOK 26.8K

-71.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$1,777 NOK 17.0K

-71.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$6,005 NOK 57.6K

-68.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$5,223 NOK 50.1K

-71.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$4,909 NOK 47.1K

-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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 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 $123 in Stavanger. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $468 – 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 217% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,048 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $314 in Stavanger. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 92% 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 $852, than in Stavanger at $2,699. 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 $852 versus $2,699 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.