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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,218 in Stavanger, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,673 in Stavanger, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $6,128 in Stavanger, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 70% cheaper than Stavanger, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Stavanger is 133% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$25.27 NOK 234

-91.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$97.7 NOK 906

-79.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$16.20 NOK 150

-64.26%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$6.50 NOK 60.3

-71.85%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$5.65 NOK 52.4

-86.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$4.62 NOK 42.85

-93.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$13.72 NOK 127

-82.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$12.21 NOK 113

-69.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$2.39 NOK 22.16

-15.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$3.69 NOK 34.25

-56.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$4.04 NOK 37.50

-64.85%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$5.03 NOK 46.67

-56.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$15.21 NOK 141

4.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$17.62 NOK 163

-82.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$35.78 NOK 332

-72.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$3.58 NOK 33.17

-26.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$2.90 NOK 26.88

-62.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$3.63 NOK 33.71

-55.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$4.87 NOK 45.18

-68.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$2.62 NOK 24.32

-52.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$3.24 NOK 30.03

-65.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$2.85 NOK 26.41

-74.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$2.31 NOK 21.43

-78.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$17.75 NOK 165

-75.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$18.90 NOK 175

-4.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$4.03 NOK 37.43

-57.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$4.53 NOK 42.06

-35.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$4.75 NOK 44.10

-80.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$87.1 NOK 808

-36.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$6.21 NOK 57.6

-80.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.80 NOK 16.70

-70.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$105 NOK 971

-97.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$2.29 NOK 21.25

-37.12%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$50.3K NOK 466.2K

-57.83%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$43.0K NOK 398.5K

-36.44%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$261 NOK 2,424

-75.15%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$35.80 NOK 332

-62.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$85.6 NOK 794

-75.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$52.1 NOK 484

-22.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$37.84 NOK 351

-89.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$22.77 NOK 211

-70.53%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$332 NOK 3,079

137.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$14.2K NOK 132.2K

6.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$127 NOK 1,182

-55.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$61.6 NOK 571

-59.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$156 NOK 1,447

-40.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$206 NOK 1,914

-63.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$1,757 NOK 16.3K

-72.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$1,393 NOK 12.9K

-79.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$2,793 NOK 25.9K

-67.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$2,062 NOK 19.1K

-74.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$6,206 NOK 57.6K

-68.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$5,375 NOK 49.9K

-73.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$5,012 NOK 46.5K

-87.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.27

5.69%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $1,757 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 728% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $98.0 in Stavanger. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $533 – 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 239% 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,827 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 $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $332 in Stavanger. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 120% 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 $950, than in Stavanger at $3,218. 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 $950 versus $3,218 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.