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 $2,472 per month in Lillestrom vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,909 per month in Lillestrom vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,345 per month in Lillestrom vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Lillestrom costs about 184% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lillestrom sits 84% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.49 NOK 194

$1.98 ฿64.3

934.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 NOK 971

$18.80 ฿612

444.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.08 NOK 105

$7.75 ฿252

42.97%

Cappuccino

$4.82 NOK 45.72

$1.92 ฿62.5

151.04%

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

$2.52 NOK 23.94

$0.79 ฿25.79

218.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 NOK 21.03

$0.36 ฿11.62

516.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.96 NOK 85.0

$2.21 ฿72.1

305.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.18 NOK 96.6

$3.66 ฿119

178.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 20.71

$1.65 ฿53.8

32.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 NOK 32.55

$1.63 ฿53.2

110.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 NOK 30.36

$1.19 ฿38.86

168.91%

Eggs

$4.14 NOK 39.28

$2.00 ฿65.1

107.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.46 NOK 109

$15.98 ฿520

-28.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.90 NOK 132

$3.03 ฿98.5

358.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.59 NOK 233

$10.86 ฿354

126.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 NOK 29.89

$2.76 ฿90.0

14.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 NOK 21.23

$1.18 ฿38.42

89.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 NOK 32.37

$1.64 ฿53.5

107.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 NOK 37.86

$1.52 ฿49.51

162.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 NOK 21.85

$1.38 ฿45.10

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 NOK 20.24

$1.19 ฿38.84

78.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 NOK 18.81

$0.70 ฿22.86

182.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 NOK 17.28

$0.56 ฿18.13

225.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.08 NOK 134

$4.58 ฿149

207.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.03 NOK 162

$16.56 ฿539

2.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 NOK 30.47

$1.83 ฿59.5

75.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 NOK 36.77

$3.20 ฿104

20.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.24 NOK 40.20

$0.88 ฿28.56

381.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.4 NOK 687

$18.72 ฿610

286.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.00 NOK 47.44

$1.36 ฿44.16

267.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 NOK 13.75

$1.34 ฿43.65

8.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.0 NOK 579

$7.84 ฿256

677.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 NOK 19.85

$1.23 ฿39.92

69.92%

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

$34.4K NOK 326.6K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

59.13%

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

$30.9K NOK 293.8K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

37.27%

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

$60.9 NOK 578

$70.5 ฿2,298

-13.72%

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

$43.99 NOK 418

$13.68 ฿445

221.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.96 NOK 360

$17.45 ฿568

117.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.2 NOK 666

$41.33 ฿1,346

69.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.53 NOK 166

$6.96 ฿227

151.87%

Cinema Ticket

$14.60 NOK 139

$5.77 ฿188

153.03%

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

$234 NOK 2,221

$307 ฿10.0K

-23.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,195 NOK 39.8K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-71.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.0 NOK 902

$55.8 ฿1,817

70.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.87 NOK 454

$26.21 ฿854

82.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 NOK 961

$85.8 ฿2,793

18.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$175 NOK 1,662

$72.2 ฿2,353

142.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 NOK 11.7K

$430 ฿14.0K

186.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 NOK 11.7K

$239 ฿7,774

416.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,486 NOK 23.6K

$817 ฿26.6K

204.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,234 NOK 21.2K

$511 ฿16.6K

337.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,932 NOK 65.8K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

249.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,024 NOK 38.2K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

171.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,793 NOK 36.0K

$619 ฿20.2K

512.98%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,233 in Lillestrom 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 513% 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: $425 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

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

Lillestrom costs about 184% 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 $3,708 per month in Lillestrom 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 $234 per month in Lillestrom 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 76% 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 $869, than in Lillestrom at $2,472. 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 $869 versus $2,472 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.