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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,370 per month in Hamar vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,691 per month in Hamar vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,011 per month in Hamar vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hamar costs about 178% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Hamar sits 77% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.45 NOK 237

$1.96 ฿63.6

1198.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,128

$18.81 ฿611

543.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.88 NOK 139

$7.92 ฿258

87.88%

Cappuccino

$5.05 NOK 47.02

$1.91 ฿62.2

164.40%

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

$4.10 NOK 38.25

$0.84 ฿27.25

388.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 NOK 29.62

$0.35 ฿11.44

808.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.08 NOK 113

$2.21 ฿71.7

446.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 NOK 74.0

$3.80 ฿124

108.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 NOK 19.32

$1.64 ฿53.2

26.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 NOK 26.79

$1.62 ฿52.8

77.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 NOK 19.30

$1.18 ฿38.40

75.42%

Eggs

$4.97 NOK 46.29

$2.01 ฿65.4

147.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 NOK 99.6

$15.89 ฿517

-32.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.99 NOK 112

$3.01 ฿98.0

298.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.44 NOK 293

$10.77 ฿350

191.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 NOK 32.45

$2.61 ฿85.0

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 NOK 24.32

$1.22 ฿39.65

113.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 NOK 26.81

$1.70 ฿55.4

69.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.16 NOK 48.05

$1.58 ฿51.2

226.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 NOK 22.24

$1.32 ฿42.89

81.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 NOK 22.84

$1.17 ฿38.01

109.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 NOK 18.73

$0.67 ฿21.85

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 NOK 18.10

$0.56 ฿18.21

246.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.88 NOK 157

$4.53 ฿147

272.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 NOK 175

$18.20 ฿592

3.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.40 NOK 31.68

$1.83 ฿59.6

85.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 NOK 38.80

$3.23 ฿105

28.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.48 NOK 41.76

$0.89 ฿28.83

403.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 NOK 607

$19.38 ฿630

236.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 NOK 95.1

$1.35 ฿43.95

655.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 NOK 13.07

$1.35 ฿43.79

3.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.35 NOK 395

$8.25 ฿268

413.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 NOK 19.60

$1.27 ฿41.40

65.35%

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

$36.9K NOK 344.0K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

74.45%

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

$43.4K NOK 404.4K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

92.97%

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

$215 NOK 2,007

$70.2 ฿2,281

207.04%

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

$31.45 NOK 293

$13.77 ฿448

128.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 NOK 521

$17.60 ฿572

217.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 NOK 521

$41.57 ฿1,352

34.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.85 NOK 260

$6.60 ฿215

321.97%

Cinema Ticket

$17.91 NOK 167

$5.78 ฿188

209.86%

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

$199 NOK 1,856

$306 ฿9,953

-34.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K NOK 138.5K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

0.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 NOK 982

$54.4 ฿1,768

93.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 NOK 574

$26.14 ฿850

135.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 NOK 1,157

$84.5 ฿2,748

46.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 NOK 930

$69.4 ฿2,257

43.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 NOK 10.9K

$424 ฿13.8K

175.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$847 NOK 7,898

$238 ฿7,743

255.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 NOK 13.9K

$825 ฿26.8K

80.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 NOK 13.4K

$515 ฿16.7K

178.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,391 NOK 40.9K

$2,049 ฿66.6K

114.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,528 NOK 32.9K

$1,523 ฿49.5K

131.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,348 NOK 40.5K

$635 ฿20.6K

584.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

1.60%

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

Last update for Hamar: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,168 in Hamar versus $424 in Chiang Mai. 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 585% higher in Hamar, 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 $121 in Hamar versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $441 vs $243 – 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

Hamar vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamar costs about 178% 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 $3,555 per month in Hamar and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. 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 $199 per month in Hamar and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 81% more in Hamar, 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 $852, than in Hamar at $2,370. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hamar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $2,370 in Hamar. 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, Hamar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.