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 $2,494 per month in Haugesund vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,746 per month in Haugesund vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,997 per month in Haugesund vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Haugesund costs about 187% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Haugesund sits 86% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.22 NOK 201

$1.98 ฿64.3

971.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 NOK 949

$18.80 ฿612

432.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 NOK 131

$7.75 ฿252

77.68%

Cappuccino

$4.59 NOK 43.60

$1.92 ฿62.5

139.06%

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

$3.08 NOK 29.27

$0.79 ฿25.79

289.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 NOK 27.42

$0.36 ฿11.62

702.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.73 NOK 102

$2.21 ฿72.1

385.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.41 NOK 89.3

$3.66 ฿119

157.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 NOK 20.10

$1.65 ฿53.8

28.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 NOK 32.22

$1.63 ฿53.2

107.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 NOK 26.35

$1.19 ฿38.86

133.61%

Eggs

$4.48 NOK 42.52

$2.00 ฿65.1

124.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.18 NOK 106

$15.98 ฿520

-30.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.81 NOK 141

$3.03 ฿98.5

388.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.94 NOK 265

$10.86 ฿354

157.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 NOK 29.19

$2.76 ฿90.0

11.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 NOK 20.61

$1.18 ฿38.42

83.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 NOK 33.91

$1.64 ฿53.5

117.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 NOK 38.34

$1.52 ฿49.51

165.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 NOK 24.61

$1.38 ฿45.10

87.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 NOK 27.00

$1.19 ฿38.84

138.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.86 NOK 27.15

$0.70 ฿22.86

308.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 NOK 19.64

$0.56 ฿18.13

269.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.25 NOK 154

$4.58 ฿149

254.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.54 NOK 138

$16.56 ฿539

-12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.38 NOK 32.04

$1.83 ฿59.5

84.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 NOK 40.07

$3.20 ฿104

31.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 NOK 33.14

$0.88 ฿28.56

296.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 NOK 632

$18.72 ฿610

255.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$14.39 NOK 137

$1.36 ฿44.16

958.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 NOK 15.11

$1.34 ฿43.65

18.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$54.6 NOK 519

$7.84 ฿256

596.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 NOK 20.87

$1.23 ฿39.92

78.86%

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

$34.9K NOK 331.3K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

61.41%

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

$39.7K NOK 377.0K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

76.17%

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

$238 NOK 2,260

$70.5 ฿2,298

237.48%

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

$38.82 NOK 369

$13.68 ฿445

183.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 NOK 529

$17.45 ฿568

219.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.29 NOK 430

$41.33 ฿1,346

9.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.08 NOK 342

$6.96 ฿227

418.39%

Cinema Ticket

$16.78 NOK 159

$5.77 ฿188

190.81%

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

$285 NOK 2,708

$307 ฿10.0K

-7.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,856 NOK 27.1K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-80.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.4 NOK 773

$55.8 ฿1,817

45.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 NOK 535

$26.21 ฿854

115.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 NOK 897

$85.8 ฿2,793

10.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 NOK 1,393

$72.2 ฿2,353

103.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 NOK 15.3K

$430 ฿14.0K

274.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,039 NOK 9,860

$239 ฿7,774

335.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,082 NOK 19.8K

$817 ฿26.6K

154.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 NOK 14.3K

$511 ฿16.6K

195.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,380 NOK 41.6K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

120.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,780 NOK 45.4K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

222.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,637 NOK 34.5K

$619 ฿20.2K

487.68%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,611 in Haugesund versus $430 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 488% 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 $100 in Haugesund versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $443 vs $241 – 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 187% 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 $3,740 per month in Haugesund and $1,303 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 $285 per month in Haugesund and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 84% 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 $869, than in Haugesund at $2,494. 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 $869 versus $2,494 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.