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 $2,422 per month in Harstad vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,693 per month in Harstad vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,965 per month in Harstad vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Harstad costs about 179% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Harstad sits 81% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.57 NOK 128

$1.94 ฿63.8

599.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 NOK 1,129

$18.64 ฿611

540.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.33 NOK 145

$7.82 ฿256

96.04%

Cappuccino

$6.05 NOK 57.2

$1.95 ฿64.1

210.26%

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

$3.45 NOK 32.61

$0.85 ฿27.90

305.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 NOK 28.30

$0.35 ฿11.64

754.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.22 NOK 106

$2.13 ฿69.9

426.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.32 NOK 107

$3.73 ฿122

203.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 NOK 21.90

$1.71 ฿56.2

35.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 NOK 29.82

$1.63 ฿53.4

93.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 NOK 28.35

$1.14 ฿37.32

163.16%

Eggs

$4.18 NOK 39.48

$1.93 ฿63.4

116.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 NOK 99.9

$16.21 ฿532

-34.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.92 NOK 141

$3.12 ฿102

378.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$37.12 NOK 351

$10.90 ฿357

240.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.06 NOK 38.37

$2.75 ฿90.4

47.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 NOK 25.35

$1.21 ฿39.70

121.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 NOK 32.74

$1.62 ฿53.2

113.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 NOK 44.15

$1.59 ฿52.1

193.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 NOK 18.86

$1.40 ฿45.91

42.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 NOK 18.72

$1.17 ฿38.34

69.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 NOK 26.23

$0.66 ฿21.70

319.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 NOK 16.90

$0.53 ฿17.30

237.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.21 NOK 144

$4.69 ฿154

224.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.00 NOK 151

$18.66 ฿612

-14.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 NOK 33.64

$1.80 ฿59.0

97.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 NOK 42.56

$3.23 ฿106

39.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.95 NOK 56.3

$0.90 ฿29.39

561.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.5 NOK 771

$19.21 ฿630

324.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.47 NOK 118

$1.41 ฿46.13

784.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 NOK 13.57

$1.29 ฿42.31

11.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.3 NOK 485

$7.84 ฿257

554.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 NOK 19.96

$1.27 ฿41.77

66.14%

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

$33.6K NOK 317.9K

$21.3K ฿698.1K

58.03%

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

$30.8K NOK 291.6K

$22.2K ฿728.8K

38.88%

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

$160 NOK 1,509

$69.1 ฿2,266

131.11%

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

$33.10 NOK 313

$14.08 ฿462

135.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 NOK 728

$18.00 ฿591

327.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.67 NOK 470

$41.06 ฿1,347

20.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.08 NOK 341

$6.96 ฿228

418.39%

Cinema Ticket

$16.99 NOK 161

$5.92 ฿194

186.99%

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

$329 NOK 3,110

$299 ฿9,811

10.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,131 NOK 48.5K

$15.0K ฿490.6K

-65.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 NOK 730

$54.7 ฿1,795

41.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.44 NOK 316

$26.77 ฿878

24.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 NOK 1,113

$85.0 ฿2,788

38.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 NOK 1,269

$70.6 ฿2,316

90.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,330 NOK 12.6K

$428 ฿14.0K

210.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,004 NOK 9,490

$237 ฿7,787

322.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,212 NOK 20.9K

$801 ฿26.3K

176.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,494 NOK 14.1K

$515 ฿16.9K

189.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,005 NOK 56.8K

$1,975 ฿64.8K

204.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,540 NOK 42.9K

$1,475 ฿48.4K

207.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,581 NOK 33.9K

$617 ฿20.3K

479.93%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,330 in Harstad versus $428 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 480% 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 $119 in Harstad versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $476 vs $246 – 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 179% 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 $3,632 per month in Harstad and $1,300 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 $329 per month in Harstad and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 93% 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 $866, than in Harstad at $2,422. 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 $866 versus $2,422 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.