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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,476 per month in Haugesund vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,729 per month in Haugesund vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,982 per month in Haugesund vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Haugesund costs about 190% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Haugesund sits 86% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.54 NOK 207

$2.04 ฿68.4

955.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 NOK 983

$18.71 ฿626

447.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.46 NOK 129

$7.86 ฿263

71.25%

Cappuccino

$4.68 NOK 44.93

$2.03 ฿67.9

130.54%

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

$3.09 NOK 29.62

$0.80 ฿26.71

286.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 NOK 28.29

$0.35 ฿11.71

742.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.67 NOK 102

$2.14 ฿71.7

398.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.37 NOK 89.9

$3.67 ฿123

155.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 NOK 20.15

$1.73 ฿57.8

21.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.32 NOK 31.80

$1.57 ฿52.5

111.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.84 NOK 27.23

$1.20 ฿40.10

136.67%

Eggs

$4.51 NOK 43.30

$1.97 ฿66.0

128.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 NOK 109

$16.23 ฿543

-30.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.51 NOK 139

$3.06 ฿102

374.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.07 NOK 269

$10.80 ฿361

159.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 NOK 29.33

$2.77 ฿92.6

10.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 NOK 20.64

$1.17 ฿39.05

83.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 NOK 34.55

$1.71 ฿57.1

110.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 NOK 39.42

$1.59 ฿53.3

158.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 NOK 26.28

$1.39 ฿46.63

97.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 NOK 26.94

$1.16 ฿38.67

142.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 NOK 27.93

$0.66 ฿22.11

340.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 NOK 20.55

$0.52 ฿17.35

311.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.29 NOK 156

$4.65 ฿155

250.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.27 NOK 137

$17.78 ฿595

-19.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.30 NOK 31.68

$1.79 ฿59.8

84.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 NOK 41.19

$3.34 ฿112

28.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.61 NOK 34.62

$0.91 ฿30.35

296.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.4 NOK 627

$18.64 ฿624

250.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$14.39 NOK 138

$1.41 ฿47.17

920.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 NOK 14.50

$1.34 ฿44.82

12.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$54.8 NOK 526

$8.11 ฿271

575.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 NOK 20.64

$1.23 ฿41.27

74.80%

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

$35.3K NOK 339.1K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

64.90%

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

$40.0K NOK 383.6K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

83.22%

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

$243 NOK 2,328

$71.3 ฿2,386

240.21%

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

$38.85 NOK 373

$14.01 ฿469

177.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.6 NOK 533

$17.93 ฿600

209.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.68 NOK 429

$40.82 ฿1,365

9.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.94 NOK 345

$6.88 ฿230

422.38%

Cinema Ticket

$16.34 NOK 157

$5.72 ฿191

185.66%

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

$280 NOK 2,685

$308 ฿10.3K

-9.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,941 NOK 28.2K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-79.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.2 NOK 798

$55.8 ฿1,865

49.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 NOK 533

$26.04 ฿871

113.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 NOK 908

$84.8 ฿2,837

11.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 NOK 1,410

$71.0 ฿2,375

107.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,640 NOK 15.7K

$423 ฿14.2K

287.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 NOK 9,799

$242 ฿8,110

321.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 NOK 19.8K

$797 ฿26.7K

158.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 NOK 14.9K

$507 ฿17.0K

205.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,218 NOK 40.5K

$1,918 ฿64.2K

119.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,596 NOK 44.1K

$1,464 ฿49.0K

213.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,941 NOK 37.8K

$595 ฿19.9K

562.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.98

-20.40%

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

Last update for Haugesund: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,640 in Haugesund versus $423 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 562% higher in Haugesund, 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 $102 in Haugesund versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $442 vs $244 – 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

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

Haugesund costs about 190% 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 $3,715 per month in Haugesund and $1,279 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 $280 per month in Haugesund and $308 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 Haugesund, 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 Haugesund at $2,476. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Haugesund it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $2,476 in Haugesund. 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, Haugesund makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.