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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,421 in Ulsteinvik, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,717 in Ulsteinvik, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,013 in Ulsteinvik, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Ulsteinvik is 81% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$25.34 NOK 244

-92.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$101 NOK 977

-81.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$13.79 NOK 133

-45.76%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$4.85 NOK 46.80

-58.35%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$3.07 NOK 29.61

-72.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$2.79 NOK 26.94

-87.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$10.16 NOK 98.0

-78.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$9.61 NOK 92.7

-62.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$2.27 NOK 21.90

-27.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$3.40 NOK 32.76

-53.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$3.15 NOK 30.38

-62.22%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$4.44 NOK 42.78

-56.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$12.09 NOK 117

33.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$14.71 NOK 142

-79.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$27.40 NOK 264

-60.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.52 NOK 33.97

-23.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$2.39 NOK 23.04

-51.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$3.36 NOK 32.39

-49.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$4.52 NOK 43.56

-64.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$2.46 NOK 23.72

-43.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$2.48 NOK 23.93

-51.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$2.80 NOK 26.98

-76.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$1.83 NOK 17.67

-69.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$15.45 NOK 149

-69.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$17.08 NOK 165

3.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$3.41 NOK 32.93

-45.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$3.96 NOK 38.20

-16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$4.33 NOK 41.75

-79.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$73.4 NOK 708

-73.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$10.10 NOK 97.4

-86.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$1.39 NOK 13.37

-3.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$46.69 NOK 450

-82.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$2.15 NOK 20.71

-43.26%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$34.9K NOK 336.6K

-38.83%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$38.9K NOK 374.9K

-42.06%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$238 NOK 2,299

-70.36%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$37.91 NOK 366

-62.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$55.4 NOK 535

-68.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$49.12 NOK 474

-14.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$36.10 NOK 348

-80.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$16.64 NOK 160

-64.42%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$279 NOK 2,691

10.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$10.1K NOK 97.3K

47.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$95.6 NOK 922

-41.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$52.7 NOK 508

-50.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$110 NOK 1,059

-24.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$152 NOK 1,463

-53.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$1,206 NOK 11.6K

-64.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$911 NOK 8,781

-73.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$1,848 NOK 17.8K

-55.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$1,542 NOK 14.9K

-66.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$5,806 NOK 56.0K

-67.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$3,524 NOK 34.0K

-58.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ulsteinvik: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $1,206 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $101 in Ulsteinvik. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $452 – 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 181% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,631 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $279 in Ulsteinvik. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 86% 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 $861, than in Ulsteinvik at $2,421. 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 $861 versus $2,421 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.