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 $2,461 per month in Hamar vs $920 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,788 per month in Hamar vs $1,408 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,115 per month in Hamar vs $1,895 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hamar costs about 167% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Hamar sits 80% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.11 NOK 197

$2.11 ฿69.1

900.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$126 NOK 1,178

$19.75 ฿648

538.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.65 NOK 146

$5.85 ฿192

167.52%

Cappuccino

$5.92 NOK 55.3

$1.76 ฿57.8

236.36%

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

$4.31 NOK 40.27

$0.74 ฿24.37

482.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 NOK 31.21

$0.33 ฿10.90

912.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.61 NOK 108

$2.47 ฿81.0

370.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.28 NOK 77.4

$3.88 ฿127

113.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.56 NOK 23.89

$1.90 ฿62.4

34.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 NOK 28.11

$1.67 ฿54.7

80.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 NOK 20.11

$1.35 ฿44.24

59.26%

Eggs

$6.01 NOK 56.1

$2.14 ฿70.2

180.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.94 NOK 102

$15.89 ฿521

-31.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.38 NOK 116

$2.83 ฿92.9

337.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$29.20 NOK 273

$10.53 ฿345

177.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 NOK 31.56

$2.38 ฿78.2

42.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 NOK 24.67

$1.07 ฿35.01

146.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 NOK 28.09

$1.52 ฿49.79

98.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.99 NOK 56.0

$1.50 ฿49.30

299.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 NOK 24.24

$1.28 ฿41.96

103.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 NOK 23.32

$1.10 ฿36.17

127.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 NOK 20.00

$0.69 ฿22.54

210.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 NOK 18.57

$0.49 ฿16.18

306.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.94 NOK 177

$4.27 ฿140

343.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 NOK 166

$16.78 ฿550

5.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.42 NOK 31.95

$1.66 ฿54.4

106.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 NOK 40.47

$2.81 ฿92.3

54.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.61 NOK 43.07

$0.90 ฿29.44

412.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.2 NOK 637

$54.9 ฿1,801

24.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.16 NOK 114

$1.20 ฿39.24

913.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 NOK 17.06

$0.54 ฿17.78

238.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$70.4 NOK 657

$2.37 ฿77.9

2868.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 NOK 21.55

$1.43 ฿46.88

61.54%

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

$48.8K NOK 455.5K

$21.1K ฿691.5K

131.42%

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

$45.1K NOK 420.9K

$27.1K ฿890.2K

66.11%

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

$227 NOK 2,124

$64.7 ฿2,124

251.36%

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

$32.52 NOK 304

$13.19 ฿433

146.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 NOK 510

$19.44 ฿638

180.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 NOK 539

$39.45 ฿1,294

46.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.12 NOK 281

$3.77 ฿124

698.94%

Cinema Ticket

$19.84 NOK 185

$6.62 ฿217

199.70%

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

$215 NOK 2,006

$805 ฿26.4K

-73.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K NOK 144.7K

$15.1K ฿496.1K

2.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 NOK 935

$54.8 ฿1,796

82.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 NOK 585

$25.43 ฿834

146.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 NOK 1,228

$91.9 ฿3,015

43.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 NOK 984

$74.7 ฿2,449

41.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 NOK 11.4K

$467 ฿15.3K

161.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$891 NOK 8,320

$282 ฿9,251

215.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 NOK 14.6K

$891 ฿29.2K

75.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,544 NOK 14.4K

$521 ฿17.1K

196.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,305 NOK 40.2K

$1,985 ฿65.1K

116.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,505 NOK 32.7K

$1,462 ฿48.0K

139.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,311 NOK 40.3K

$592 ฿19.4K

628.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.98

5.57

-10.59%

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

Last update for Hamar: August 18, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,220 in Hamar versus $467 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 628% 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 $126 in Hamar versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $452 vs $237 – 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 167% 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 $3,692 per month in Hamar and $1,380 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 $215 per month in Hamar and $805 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 91% 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 $920, than in Hamar at $2,461. 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 $920 versus $2,461 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.