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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,470 per month in Harstad vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,732 per month in Harstad vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,993 per month in Harstad vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Harstad costs about 191% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Harstad sits 85% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 NOK 130

$2.03 ฿68.2

568.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,156

$18.71 ฿629

545.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.25 NOK 146

$7.84 ฿263

94.52%

Cappuccino

$6.21 NOK 59.4

$1.93 ฿64.7

221.76%

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

$3.62 NOK 34.61

$0.83 ฿27.92

336.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 NOK 29.83

$0.35 ฿11.77

791.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.99 NOK 105

$2.22 ฿74.6

395.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.23 NOK 108

$3.79 ฿127

196.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 NOK 23.41

$1.65 ฿55.3

48.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 NOK 31.58

$1.55 ฿52.1

112.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 NOK 28.88

$1.18 ฿39.69

155.93%

Eggs

$4.14 NOK 39.66

$2.01 ฿67.7

105.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.47 NOK 100

$16.16 ฿543

-35.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.42 NOK 148

$3.03 ฿102

408.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$37.05 NOK 355

$10.84 ฿364

241.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 NOK 38.80

$2.68 ฿90.0

51.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 NOK 25.51

$1.22 ฿41.03

118.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 NOK 33.77

$1.63 ฿54.6

116.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 NOK 44.48

$1.53 ฿51.3

203.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 NOK 19.70

$1.34 ฿44.98

53.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 NOK 18.93

$1.21 ฿40.75

63.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 NOK 25.57

$0.70 ฿23.57

281.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 NOK 16.85

$0.53 ฿17.65

232.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.92 NOK 143

$4.69 ฿157

218.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.83 NOK 152

$17.71 ฿595

-10.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.48 NOK 33.29

$1.85 ฿62.0

88.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 NOK 44.96

$3.21 ฿108

46.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.11 NOK 58.5

$0.89 ฿29.93

586.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.3 NOK 759

$18.76 ฿630

322.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.53 NOK 120

$1.41 ฿47.27

788.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 NOK 13.42

$1.29 ฿43.40

8.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.8 NOK 486

$7.79 ฿262

552.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 NOK 20.50

$1.29 ฿43.47

65.89%

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

$33.3K NOK 319.0K

$21.8K ฿731.4K

53.12%

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

$30.4K NOK 291.0K

$21.7K ฿728.8K

40.15%

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

$162 NOK 1,552

$70.0 ฿2,351

131.69%

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

$32.24 NOK 309

$14.19 ฿477

127.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.7 NOK 734

$17.42 ฿585

340.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.64 NOK 466

$41.64 ฿1,399

16.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.38 NOK 339

$6.89 ฿231

413.50%

Cinema Ticket

$16.78 NOK 161

$5.78 ฿194

190.31%

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

$334 NOK 3,194

$300 ฿10.1K

11.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,159 NOK 49.4K

$14.5K ฿487.9K

-64.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 NOK 718

$55.4 ฿1,860

35.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.21 NOK 318

$26.31 ฿884

26.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 NOK 1,131

$84.8 ฿2,851

39.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 NOK 1,303

$70.5 ฿2,368

93.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 NOK 12.4K

$425 ฿14.3K

205.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 NOK 9,627

$235 ฿7,898

327.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,189 NOK 20.9K

$802 ฿27.0K

172.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,471 NOK 14.1K

$516 ฿17.3K

185.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,805 NOK 55.6K

$1,926 ฿64.7K

201.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,967 NOK 38.0K

$1,451 ฿48.7K

173.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,370 NOK 32.3K

$586 ฿19.7K

474.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

-14.60%

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

Last update for Harstad: July 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,298 in Harstad versus $425 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 475% higher in Harstad, 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 Harstad versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $480 vs $242 – 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

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

Harstad costs about 191% 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 $3,705 per month in Harstad and $1,271 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 $334 per month in Harstad and $300 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 98% more in Harstad, 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 $847, than in Harstad at $2,470. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Harstad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $2,470 in Harstad. 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, Harstad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.