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 $2,369 per month in Moss vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,549 per month in Moss vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,729 per month in Moss vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Moss costs about 178% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Moss sits 78% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 NOK 174

$2.04 ฿68.2

798.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.8 NOK 927

$18.71 ฿624

422.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.40 NOK 127

$7.86 ฿262

70.48%

Cappuccino

$3.84 NOK 36.45

$2.03 ฿67.7

89.16%

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

$3.20 NOK 30.35

$0.80 ฿26.64

300.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 NOK 24.56

$0.35 ฿11.68

640.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 NOK 63.3

$2.14 ฿71.5

212.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.06 NOK 76.4

$3.67 ฿122

119.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 NOK 19.14

$1.73 ฿57.6

16.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 NOK 31.33

$1.57 ฿52.4

110.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 NOK 34.71

$1.20 ฿39.99

205.00%

Eggs

$3.26 NOK 30.88

$1.97 ฿65.8

65.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.67 NOK 130

$16.23 ฿541

-15.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.65 NOK 120

$3.06 ฿102

313.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.77 NOK 254

$10.80 ฿360

147.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 NOK 34.04

$2.77 ฿92.3

29.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 NOK 22.78

$1.17 ฿38.94

105.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 NOK 31.46

$1.71 ฿57.0

94.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 NOK 47.08

$1.59 ฿53.2

212.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 NOK 23.29

$1.39 ฿46.51

76.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 NOK 23.67

$1.16 ฿38.56

115.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 NOK 23.60

$0.66 ฿22.05

277.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 NOK 22.19

$0.52 ฿17.31

350.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.95 NOK 151

$4.65 ฿155

243.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.60 NOK 148

$17.78 ฿593

-12.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 NOK 24.70

$1.79 ฿59.6

45.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 NOK 34.04

$3.34 ฿111

7.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.34 NOK 41.16

$0.91 ฿30.27

376.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.8 NOK 804

$18.64 ฿622

355.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.30 NOK 97.6

$1.41 ฿47.04

630.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 NOK 13.28

$1.34 ฿44.70

4.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.72 NOK 405

$8.11 ฿270

426.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 21.35

$1.23 ฿41.16

82.93%

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

$36.8K NOK 348.5K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

71.45%

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

$37.3K NOK 353.7K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

70.95%

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

$293 NOK 2,778

$71.3 ฿2,379

310.75%

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

$20.14 NOK 191

$14.01 ฿467

43.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.98 NOK 445

$17.93 ฿598

162.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.87 NOK 378

$40.82 ฿1,362

-2.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.29 NOK 306

$6.88 ฿230

369.33%

Cinema Ticket

$16.18 NOK 153

$5.72 ฿191

182.87%

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

$273 NOK 2,593

$308 ฿10.3K

-11.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,594 NOK 34.1K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-75.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.4 NOK 895

$55.8 ฿1,860

69.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.9 NOK 624

$26.04 ฿869

152.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 NOK 964

$84.8 ฿2,829

19.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 NOK 1,318

$71.0 ฿2,368

95.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 NOK 12.0K

$423 ฿14.1K

198.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$857 NOK 8,127

$242 ฿8,088

253.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 NOK 17.5K

$797 ฿26.6K

131.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,403 NOK 13.3K

$507 ฿16.9K

176.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,172 NOK 49.0K

$1,918 ฿64.0K

169.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,002 NOK 37.9K

$1,464 ฿48.8K

173.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,408 NOK 41.8K

$595 ฿19.9K

640.84%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,264 in Moss versus $423 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 641% 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 $98.0 in Moss versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $438 vs $244 – 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 178% 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 $3,553 per month in Moss and $1,279 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 $273 per month in Moss and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 79% 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 $852, than in Moss at $2,369. 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 $852 versus $2,369 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.