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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,430 in Ulsteinvik, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,741 in Ulsteinvik, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,052 in Ulsteinvik, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 64% cheaper than Ulsteinvik, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Ulsteinvik is 81% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$25.66 NOK 238

-92.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$103 NOK 957

-81.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$13.92 NOK 129

-43.82%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$5.02 NOK 46.64

-61.16%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$3.21 NOK 29.81

-73.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$2.92 NOK 27.16

-88.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$10.24 NOK 95.1

-79.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$9.64 NOK 89.5

-61.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.19 NOK 20.35

-21.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$3.33 NOK 30.95

-51.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$3.28 NOK 30.44

-65.24%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$4.33 NOK 40.21

-55.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.82 NOK 110

37.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$14.52 NOK 135

-78.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$27.67 NOK 257

-60.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.45 NOK 32.01

-20.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.37 NOK 21.98

-48.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$3.24 NOK 30.10

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$4.56 NOK 42.38

-65.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.45 NOK 22.78

-42.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.50 NOK 23.21

-53.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$2.82 NOK 26.20

-76.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.83 NOK 16.99

-71.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$15.10 NOK 140

-68.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$18.31 NOK 170

1.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$3.33 NOK 30.95

-45.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.99 NOK 37.02

-19.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$4.37 NOK 40.61

-79.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$74.2 NOK 689

-74.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$10.27 NOK 95.4

-86.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.41 NOK 13.06

-8.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$46.03 NOK 428

-82.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$2.14 NOK 19.90

-40.65%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$35.7K NOK 331.9K

-40.44%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$38.6K NOK 358.4K

-42.43%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$241 NOK 2,238

-71.32%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$38.38 NOK 357

-63.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$55.1 NOK 512

-67.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$48.91 NOK 454

-16.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$35.72 NOK 332

-80.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$16.69 NOK 155

-64.53%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$285 NOK 2,650

4.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$10.0K NOK 92.9K

49.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$94.3 NOK 876

-41.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$51.4 NOK 477

-47.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$110 NOK 1,018

-22.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$153 NOK 1,424

-53.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$1,220 NOK 11.3K

-64.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$897 NOK 8,332

-73.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,846 NOK 17.1K

-56.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,559 NOK 14.5K

-66.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$5,240 NOK 48.7K

-62.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$4,283 NOK 39.8K

-65.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

14.16%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ulsteinvik: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,220 in Ulsteinvik. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $103 in Ulsteinvik. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $451 – 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 Ulsteinvik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ulsteinvik costs about 180% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,645 in Ulsteinvik. 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 $285 in Ulsteinvik. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 83% more in Ulsteinvik, 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 $866, than in Ulsteinvik at $2,430. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ulsteinvik it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $2,430 in Ulsteinvik. 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, Ulsteinvik makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.