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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,318 per month in Horten vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,539 per month in Horten vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,760 per month in Horten vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

Horten sits 72% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.90 NOK 274

$1.98 ฿64.3

1359.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 NOK 956

$18.80 ฿612

435.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.32 NOK 126

$7.75 ฿252

71.87%

Cappuccino

$4.88 NOK 46.29

$1.92 ฿62.5

154.17%

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

$2.44 NOK 23.15

$0.79 ฿25.79

208.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 NOK 20.23

$0.36 ฿11.62

491.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.36 NOK 88.8

$2.21 ฿72.1

323.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.77 NOK 92.8

$3.66 ฿119

166.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 NOK 20.27

$1.65 ฿53.8

29.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 NOK 32.19

$1.63 ฿53.2

107.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 NOK 29.16

$1.19 ฿38.86

157.98%

Eggs

$4.31 NOK 40.91

$2.00 ฿65.1

115.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 NOK 93.1

$15.98 ฿520

-38.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.29 NOK 126

$3.03 ฿98.5

338.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.59 NOK 224

$10.86 ฿354

117.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 NOK 34.78

$2.76 ฿90.0

32.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 NOK 21.61

$1.18 ฿38.42

93.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 NOK 32.02

$1.64 ฿53.5

105.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.92 NOK 37.21

$1.52 ฿49.51

157.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 NOK 19.03

$1.38 ฿45.10

44.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 NOK 20.23

$1.19 ฿38.84

78.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 NOK 26.61

$0.70 ฿22.86

300.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 NOK 17.48

$0.56 ฿18.13

228.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.05 NOK 133

$4.58 ฿149

206.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.64 NOK 177

$16.56 ฿539

12.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.33 NOK 31.65

$1.83 ฿59.5

81.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 NOK 37.86

$3.20 ฿104

24.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.17 NOK 49.08

$0.88 ฿28.56

487.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.9 NOK 711

$18.72 ฿610

299.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.29 NOK 97.6

$1.36 ฿44.16

656.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 NOK 10.31

$1.34 ฿43.65

-18.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$103 NOK 978

$7.84 ฿256

1213.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 NOK 20.43

$1.23 ฿39.92

74.80%

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

$35.9K NOK 340.5K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

65.89%

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

$38.9K NOK 369.0K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

72.41%

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

$216 NOK 2,049

$70.5 ฿2,298

206.00%

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

$43.90 NOK 417

$13.68 ฿445

220.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.06 NOK 285

$17.45 ฿568

72.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.41 NOK 459

$41.33 ฿1,346

17.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.89 NOK 331

$6.96 ฿227

401.29%

Cinema Ticket

$15.09 NOK 143

$5.77 ฿188

161.53%

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

$308 NOK 2,923

$307 ฿10.0K

0.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,951 NOK 94.5K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-31.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 NOK 1,085

$55.8 ฿1,817

104.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.11 NOK 390

$26.21 ฿854

56.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.9 NOK 521

$85.8 ฿2,793

-35.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 NOK 1,745

$72.2 ฿2,353

154.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 NOK 10.1K

$430 ฿14.0K

146.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$820 NOK 7,779

$239 ฿7,774

243.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,686 NOK 16.0K

$817 ฿26.6K

106.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 NOK 11.5K

$511 ฿16.6K

138.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,059 NOK 57.5K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

205.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,365 NOK 41.4K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

194.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,426 NOK 32.5K

$619 ฿20.2K

453.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-40.00%

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

Last update for Horten: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,061 in Horten 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 454% higher in Horten, 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 $101 in Horten versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $422 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

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

Horten 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 $3,477 per month in Horten 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 $308 per month in Horten 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 75% more in Horten, 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 Horten at $2,318. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Horten it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $2,318 in Horten. 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, Horten makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.