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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,547 per month in Lillestrom vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,020 per month in Lillestrom vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,492 per month in Lillestrom vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Lillestrom costs about 199% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lillestrom sits 90% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.59 NOK 192

$1.96 ฿63.6

950.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 NOK 949

$18.81 ฿611

441.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 NOK 102

$7.92 ฿258

38.26%

Cappuccino

$5.07 NOK 47.26

$1.91 ฿62.2

165.45%

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

$2.55 NOK 23.77

$0.84 ฿27.25

203.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 NOK 19.73

$0.35 ฿11.44

505.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.91 NOK 83.0

$2.21 ฿71.7

303.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.11 NOK 94.2

$3.80 ฿124

166.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 NOK 19.63

$1.64 ฿53.2

28.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.32 NOK 30.92

$1.62 ฿52.8

104.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 NOK 30.77

$1.18 ฿38.40

179.66%

Eggs

$4.22 NOK 39.32

$2.01 ฿65.4

109.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.35 NOK 106

$15.89 ฿517

-28.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.81 NOK 129

$3.01 ฿98.0

358.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.70 NOK 230

$10.77 ฿350

129.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 NOK 29.00

$2.61 ฿85.0

19.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 NOK 21.93

$1.22 ฿39.65

92.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 NOK 31.30

$1.70 ฿55.4

97.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 NOK 39.00

$1.58 ฿51.2

164.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 NOK 20.46

$1.32 ฿42.89

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 NOK 20.66

$1.17 ฿38.01

89.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 NOK 18.39

$0.67 ฿21.85

194.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 NOK 17.57

$0.56 ฿18.21

237.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.45 NOK 135

$4.53 ฿147

218.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.20 NOK 160

$18.20 ฿592

-5.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 NOK 29.92

$1.83 ฿59.6

75.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 NOK 37.47

$3.23 ฿105

24.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.35 NOK 40.58

$0.89 ฿28.83

388.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.2 NOK 682

$19.38 ฿630

277.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 NOK 47.93

$1.35 ฿43.95

280.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 NOK 13.05

$1.35 ฿43.79

3.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.9 NOK 577

$8.25 ฿268

650.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 NOK 20.22

$1.27 ฿41.40

70.87%

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

$35.4K NOK 329.9K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

67.32%

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

$29.8K NOK 277.5K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

32.42%

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

$61.6 NOK 574

$70.2 ฿2,281

-12.19%

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

$43.51 NOK 405

$13.77 ฿448

215.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.76 NOK 352

$17.60 ฿572

114.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.8 NOK 659

$41.57 ฿1,352

70.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.06 NOK 168

$6.60 ฿215

173.64%

Cinema Ticket

$14.69 NOK 137

$5.78 ฿188

154.15%

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

$240 NOK 2,234

$306 ฿9,953

-21.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,135 NOK 38.5K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-72.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.3 NOK 888

$54.4 ฿1,768

75.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.68 NOK 435

$26.14 ฿850

78.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 NOK 934

$84.5 ฿2,748

18.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$176 NOK 1,638

$69.4 ฿2,257

153.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 NOK 11.1K

$424 ฿13.8K

182.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 NOK 11.5K

$238 ฿7,743

416.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,544 NOK 23.7K

$825 ฿26.8K

208.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 NOK 20.3K

$515 ฿16.7K

323.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,986 NOK 55.8K

$2,049 ฿66.6K

192.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,645 NOK 43.3K

$1,523 ฿49.5K

205.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,898 NOK 36.3K

$635 ฿20.6K

513.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

-12.40%

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

Last update for Lillestrom: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,196 in Lillestrom versus $424 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 514% higher in Lillestrom, 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 Lillestrom versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $426 vs $243 – 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

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

Lillestrom costs about 199% 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 $3,821 per month in Lillestrom and $1,278 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 $240 per month in Lillestrom and $306 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 Lillestrom, 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 Lillestrom at $2,547. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lillestrom it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $2,547 in Lillestrom. 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, Lillestrom makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.