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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,410 per month in Molde vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,669 per month in Molde vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,929 per month in Molde vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Molde costs about 177% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Molde sits 79% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.59 NOK 243

$1.98 ฿64.3

1192.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.4 NOK 754

$18.80 ฿612

322.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.54 NOK 129

$7.75 ฿252

74.71%

Cappuccino

$5.18 NOK 49.13

$1.92 ฿62.5

169.79%

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

$2.88 NOK 27.32

$0.79 ฿25.79

264.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 NOK 25.26

$0.36 ฿11.62

638.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.06 NOK 86.0

$2.21 ฿72.1

309.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.96 NOK 94.6

$3.66 ฿119

172.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 NOK 20.87

$1.65 ฿53.8

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 NOK 28.58

$1.63 ฿53.2

84.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.87 NOK 36.76

$1.19 ฿38.86

225.21%

Eggs

$3.09 NOK 29.28

$2.00 ฿65.1

54.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 NOK 85.9

$15.98 ฿520

-43.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.79 NOK 159

$3.03 ฿98.5

454.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.72 NOK 263

$10.86 ฿354

155.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 NOK 23.75

$2.76 ฿90.0

-9.42%

Banana (1kg)

$3.06 NOK 29.03

$1.18 ฿38.42

159.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 NOK 32.13

$1.64 ฿53.5

106.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.55 NOK 52.6

$1.52 ฿49.51

265.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 NOK 14.56

$1.38 ฿45.10

10.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 NOK 21.70

$1.19 ฿38.84

92.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 NOK 24.46

$0.70 ฿22.86

268.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 NOK 17.51

$0.56 ฿18.13

228.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.27 NOK 173

$4.58 ฿149

298.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.17 NOK 173

$16.56 ฿539

9.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 NOK 27.65

$1.83 ฿59.5

59.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 NOK 38.06

$3.20 ฿104

25.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.31 NOK 40.89

$0.88 ฿28.56

389.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.8 NOK 786

$18.72 ฿610

342.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.18 NOK 96.6

$1.36 ฿44.16

648.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 NOK 13.10

$1.34 ฿43.65

2.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$47.05 NOK 447

$7.84 ฿256

500.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 NOK 21.31

$1.23 ฿39.92

82.11%

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

$35.9K NOK 340.5K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

65.90%

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

$39.0K NOK 370.5K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

73.14%

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

$241 NOK 2,291

$70.5 ฿2,298

242.22%

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

$37.92 NOK 360

$13.68 ฿445

177.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 NOK 518

$17.45 ฿568

212.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.0 NOK 475

$41.33 ฿1,346

20.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.26 NOK 335

$6.96 ฿227

406.61%

Cinema Ticket

$16.69 NOK 158

$5.77 ฿188

189.25%

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

$200 NOK 1,901

$307 ฿10.0K

-34.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K NOK 97.5K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-29.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.7 NOK 927

$55.8 ฿1,817

75.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 NOK 497

$26.21 ฿854

99.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 NOK 964

$85.8 ฿2,793

18.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 NOK 1,434

$72.2 ฿2,353

109.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 NOK 11.1K

$430 ฿14.0K

173.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 NOK 8,574

$239 ฿7,774

278.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 NOK 13.7K

$817 ฿26.6K

76.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,456 NOK 13.8K

$511 ฿16.6K

185.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,190 NOK 58.8K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

212.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,482 NOK 42.5K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

202.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,624 NOK 34.4K

$619 ฿20.2K

485.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.75

-25.00%

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

Last update for Molde: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,174 in Molde 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 486% higher in Molde, 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 $79.0 in Molde versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 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

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

Molde costs about 177% 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 $3,614 per month in Molde 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 $200 per month in Molde 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 85% more in Molde, 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 Molde at $2,410. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Molde it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $2,410 in Molde. 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, Molde makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.