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 $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,751 in Ulsteinvik, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,113 in Ulsteinvik, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,476 in Ulsteinvik, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 66% cheaper than Ulsteinvik, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Ulsteinvik is 100% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$20.97 NOK 195

-90.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$114 NOK 1,055

-82.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$13.88 NOK 129

-59.29%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$4.96 NOK 46.05

-63.51%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$4.33 NOK 40.22

-83.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$3.02 NOK 28.06

-89.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$11.05 NOK 103

-79.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$11.92 NOK 111

-69.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$2.49 NOK 23.07

-21.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$3.73 NOK 34.67

-59.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$3.84 NOK 35.64

-65.10%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$4.92 NOK 45.66

-54.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$13.33 NOK 124

21.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$15.73 NOK 146

-81.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$30.44 NOK 283

-67.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$3.49 NOK 32.41

-26.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$2.75 NOK 25.56

-61.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$3.64 NOK 33.82

-55.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$5.15 NOK 47.84

-70.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$2.68 NOK 24.89

-52.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$2.84 NOK 26.41

-62.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$3.09 NOK 28.65

-76.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$2.60 NOK 24.13

-80.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$18.16 NOK 169

-76.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$16.85 NOK 156

6.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$3.52 NOK 32.71

-51.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$4.85 NOK 45.01

-41.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

$4.24 NOK 39.41

-78.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

$85.1 NOK 790

-36.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$13.47 NOK 125

-90.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$1.78 NOK 16.55

-67.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$72.3 NOK 671

-96.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$2.40 NOK 22.24

-41.25%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$45.7K NOK 423.8K

-53.03%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$40.5K NOK 375.8K

-32.47%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$273 NOK 2,530

-76.64%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$28.09 NOK 261

-54.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$58.6 NOK 544

-65.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$50.5 NOK 469

-23.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$39.37 NOK 365

-89.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$16.27 NOK 151

-58.57%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$246 NOK 2,282

216.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$12.8K NOK 119.0K

13.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$93.7 NOK 870

-42.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$54.5 NOK 506

-53.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$127 NOK 1,178

-25.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$148 NOK 1,376

-50.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$1,329 NOK 12.3K

-63.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

$1,127 NOK 10.5K

-74.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$1,777 NOK 16.5K

-49.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$1,726 NOK 16.0K

-70.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$6,426 NOK 59.7K

-69.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

$4,719 NOK 43.8K

-68.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.96

12.30%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ulsteinvik: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $1,329 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $114 in Ulsteinvik. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $500 – 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 190% 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,126 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 $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $246 in Ulsteinvik. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 108% 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 $947, than in Ulsteinvik at $2,751. 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 $947 versus $2,751 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.