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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $942 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,650 in Drammen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,427 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,081 in Drammen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,912 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,513 in Drammen, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 64% cheaper than Drammen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 30% below the global median, while Drammen is 97% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.7

$21.29 NOK 203

-90.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.91 ฿666

$126 NOK 1,197

-84.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.58 ฿187

$11.00 NOK 105

-49.27%

Cappuccino

$1.74 ฿58.1

$5.16 NOK 49.16

-66.28%

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

$0.72 ฿24.08

$4.08 NOK 38.80

-82.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.71

$1.96 NOK 18.65

-83.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 ฿75.3

$11.74 NOK 112

-80.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿128

$7.00 NOK 66.6

-45.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.6

$2.57 NOK 24.45

-21.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.6

$4.06 NOK 38.65

-61.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.72

$4.71 NOK 44.88

-70.28%

Eggs

$2.15 ฿72.0

$4.88 NOK 46.49

-55.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.63 ฿523

$14.03 NOK 134

11.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.6

$15.46 NOK 147

-80.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 ฿318

$29.53 NOK 281

-67.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 ฿87.2

$3.29 NOK 31.28

-20.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 ฿36.19

$2.61 NOK 24.83

-58.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$3.60 NOK 34.23

-55.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.62

$6.09 NOK 58.0

-76.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.72

$2.76 NOK 26.27

-53.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.18

$2.82 NOK 26.81

-60.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ฿24.30

$3.08 NOK 29.35

-76.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.72

$2.50 NOK 23.76

-80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿143

$17.08 NOK 163

-75.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.67 ฿591

$15.63 NOK 149

13.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ฿56.3

$3.42 NOK 32.51

-50.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿93.8

$4.26 NOK 40.57

-34.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿28.95

$3.37 NOK 32.07

-74.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.2 ฿1,814

$94.0 NOK 894

-42.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.59

$12.23 NOK 116

-90.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿18.03

$1.80 NOK 17.10

-70.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.9

$69.2 NOK 658

-96.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿48.98

$2.25 NOK 21.44

-35.11%

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

$21.0K ฿703.3K

$45.6K NOK 434.4K

-53.95%

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

$26.7K ฿893.4K

$44.1K NOK 419.9K

-39.49%

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

$62.1 ฿2,078

$268 NOK 2,548

-76.81%

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

$12.93 ฿433

$32.58 NOK 310

-60.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.61 ฿690

$52.8 NOK 503

-60.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.21 ฿1,312

$80.9 NOK 770

-51.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 ฿218

$18.33 NOK 174

-64.43%

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

$803 ฿26.9K

$250 NOK 2,378

221.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.9K

$15.9K NOK 151.6K

-7.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ฿1,870

$101 NOK 958

-44.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.51 ฿854

$61.0 NOK 580

-58.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 ฿3,048

$132 NOK 1,261

-31.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,453

$150 NOK 1,429

-51.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.2K

$1,319 NOK 12.6K

-63.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,646

$1,006 NOK 9,573

-71.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 ฿29.6K

$2,111 NOK 20.1K

-58.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 ฿17.5K

$1,612 NOK 15.3K

-67.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,989 ฿66.6K

$10.5K NOK 99.8K

-81.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,440 ฿48.2K

$6,289 NOK 59.9K

-77.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 ฿20.2K

$3,606 NOK 34.3K

-83.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.54

22.69%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 21, 2026

Last update for Drammen: September 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $1,319 in Drammen. 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 498% higher in Drammen, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $126 in Drammen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $503 – 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

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

Drammen costs about 181% 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 $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,975 in Drammen. 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 $803 per month in Chiang Mai and $250 in Drammen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 112% more in Drammen, 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 $942, than in Drammen at $2,650. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Drammen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $942 versus $2,650 in Drammen. 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, Drammen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.