Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Stokke

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $2,492 in Stokke, rent and utilities included – about $18,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
121

Cost of Living Index in Stokke
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Stokke Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Stokke

🇳🇴 Norway

$2,492

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Stokke

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Stokke actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,492 in Stokke, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Stokke $2,492

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,829 in Stokke, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Stokke $3,829

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,167 in Stokke, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Stokke $5,167

Chiang Mai is about 63% cheaper than Stokke, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Stokke is 84% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$20.72 NOK 195

-88.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$125 NOK 1,176

-84.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$15.79 NOK 149

-64.47%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$5.98 NOK 56.3

-72.24%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$4.40 NOK 41.46

-84.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$3.33 NOK 31.33

-90.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$11.73 NOK 110

-79.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$12.48 NOK 117

-70.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$2.19 NOK 20.65

-10.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$2.14 NOK 20.10

-34.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$4.67 NOK 43.99

-71.95%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$4.57 NOK 43.03

-52.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$10.27 NOK 96.7

62.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$15.40 NOK 145

-82.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$30.88 NOK 291

-70.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$3.11 NOK 29.27

-23.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$2.48 NOK 23.37

-58.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$3.54 NOK 33.28

-53.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$5.71 NOK 53.8

-73.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$2.40 NOK 22.57

-46.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$2.77 NOK 26.04

-59.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$2.35 NOK 22.09

-69.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.86 NOK 8.12

-38.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$17.43 NOK 164

-75.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$14.75 NOK 139

21.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$3.48 NOK 32.74

-54.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$4.11 NOK 38.69

-30.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$4.41 NOK 41.48

-80.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$79.2 NOK 746

-32.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$12.02 NOK 113

-89.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$1.85 NOK 17.43

-69.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$70.2 NOK 661

-96.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$2.43 NOK 22.83

-40.74%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$47.1K NOK 443.3K

-55.97%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$44.3K NOK 417.1K

-39.52%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$262 NOK 2,464

-76.19%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$30.96 NOK 291

-60.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$53.3 NOK 501

-62.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$55.6 NOK 524

-33.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$35.84 NOK 337

-89.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$15.38 NOK 145

-57.74%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$237 NOK 2,230

234.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$15.6K NOK 146.7K

-4.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$84.8 NOK 798

-36.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$20.93 NOK 197

17.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$52.6 NOK 495

72.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$94.4 NOK 889

-24.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$1,181 NOK 11.1K

-61.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$987 NOK 9,293

-69.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$1,990 NOK 18.7K

-54.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$1,643 NOK 15.5K

-66.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$6,163 NOK 58.0K

-68.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$4,011 NOK 37.8K

-63.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$3,446 NOK 32.4K

-82.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.94

12.75%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Stokke: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Stokke

$987 39.6% 232% $689

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Stokke

$441 17.7% 87.5% $206

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Stokke

$114 4.6% 5.2% $5.6

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Stokke

$346 13.9% 267% $252

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Stokke

$399 16% 408% $321

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Stokke

$118 4.7% 94.3% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Stokke

$86 3.5% 72.6% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $1,181 in Stokke. 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 483% higher in Stokke, 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 $125 in Stokke. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $441 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇳🇴 Stokke

🕒 Local time

00:03 12:03 AM

19:03 7:03 PM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

4,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Norwegian Krone NOK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 NOK = 10.62 USD

100 NOK = 9.45 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NOK, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 9.41 NOK (1 NOK = 0.106 USD). 1 EUR = 10.58 NOK (100 NOK = 9.45 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Stokke 8,150 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Stokke

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Stokke: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stokke costs about 169% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,738 in Stokke. 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 $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $237 in Stokke. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 87% more in Stokke, 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 $925, than in Stokke at $2,492. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stokke it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $2,492 in Stokke. 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, Stokke makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.