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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,360 per month in Moss vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

A family of three spends $4,717 per month in Moss vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Moss costs about 172% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Moss sits 76% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.65 NOK 177

$1.98 ฿64.3

841.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.5 NOK 945

$18.80 ฿612

429.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.33 NOK 127

$7.75 ฿252

72.00%

Cappuccino

$3.77 NOK 35.83

$1.92 ฿62.5

96.35%

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

$3.19 NOK 30.27

$0.79 ฿25.79

303.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 NOK 24.57

$0.36 ฿11.62

619.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.69 NOK 63.5

$2.21 ฿72.1

202.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 NOK 77.1

$3.66 ฿119

121.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 NOK 20.02

$1.65 ฿53.8

27.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 NOK 32.70

$1.63 ฿53.2

111.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.67 NOK 34.81

$1.19 ฿38.86

208.40%

Eggs

$3.43 NOK 32.58

$2.00 ฿65.1

71.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.52 NOK 128

$15.98 ฿520

-15.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.67 NOK 120

$3.03 ฿98.5

318.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.31 NOK 250

$10.86 ฿354

142.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 NOK 33.21

$2.76 ฿90.0

26.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 NOK 23.21

$1.18 ฿38.42

107.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.48 NOK 33.03

$1.64 ฿53.5

112.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.14 NOK 48.78

$1.52 ฿49.51

238.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 NOK 23.01

$1.38 ฿45.10

75.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 NOK 23.62

$1.19 ฿38.84

109.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 NOK 23.33

$0.70 ฿22.86

251.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 NOK 22.88

$0.56 ฿18.13

330.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.44 NOK 147

$4.58 ฿149

237.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.05 NOK 152

$16.56 ฿539

-3.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 NOK 24.21

$1.83 ฿59.5

39.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 NOK 34.38

$3.20 ฿104

13.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.20 NOK 39.90

$0.88 ฿28.56

377.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.1 NOK 798

$18.72 ฿610

349.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.24 NOK 97.2

$1.36 ฿44.16

652.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 NOK 13.67

$1.34 ฿43.65

7.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.07 NOK 409

$7.84 ฿256

449.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 NOK 20.64

$1.23 ฿39.92

76.42%

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

$35.7K NOK 339.2K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

65.27%

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

$37.0K NOK 351.5K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

64.26%

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

$287 NOK 2,724

$70.5 ฿2,298

306.88%

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

$20.51 NOK 195

$13.68 ฿445

49.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.54 NOK 451

$17.45 ฿568

172.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.17 NOK 381

$41.33 ฿1,346

-2.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.31 NOK 307

$6.96 ฿227

364.22%

Cinema Ticket

$16.32 NOK 155

$5.77 ฿188

182.84%

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

$271 NOK 2,574

$307 ฿10.0K

-11.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,561 NOK 33.8K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-75.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.3 NOK 914

$55.8 ฿1,817

72.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.6 NOK 632

$26.21 ฿854

154.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 NOK 956

$85.8 ฿2,793

17.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 NOK 1,351

$72.2 ฿2,353

96.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 NOK 11.8K

$430 ฿14.0K

188.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$871 NOK 8,269

$239 ฿7,774

264.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,851 NOK 17.6K

$817 ฿26.6K

126.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 NOK 13.5K

$511 ฿16.6K

177.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,214 NOK 49.5K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

162.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,042 NOK 38.4K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

172.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,328 NOK 41.1K

$619 ฿20.2K

599.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

1.00%

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

Last update for Moss: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,239 in Moss 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 599% higher in Moss, 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 Moss versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $442 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

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

Moss costs about 172% 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 $3,540 per month in Moss 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 $271 per month in Moss 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 83% more in Moss, 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 Moss at $2,360. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moss it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $2,360 in Moss. 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, Moss makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.