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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,214 in Drammen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,324 in Drammen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,434 in Drammen, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 61% cheaper than Drammen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Drammen is 65% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$20.64 NOK 192

-90.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$75.3 NOK 701

-75.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$13.06 NOK 122

-40.12%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$4.99 NOK 46.43

-60.92%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$2.42 NOK 22.52

-64.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$2.64 NOK 24.60

-86.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$7.82 NOK 72.8

-72.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$6.19 NOK 57.6

-39.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.20 NOK 20.51

-22.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$3.13 NOK 29.17

-47.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$3.15 NOK 29.34

-63.81%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$4.19 NOK 38.98

-53.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.60 NOK 108

39.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$13.42 NOK 125

-76.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$17.23 NOK 160

-36.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.05 NOK 19.08

34.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$2.32 NOK 21.62

-47.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$3.42 NOK 31.83

-52.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$3.95 NOK 36.79

-59.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$2.27 NOK 21.14

-38.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$1.34 NOK 12.48

-12.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$1.85 NOK 17.18

-64.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$1.93 NOK 17.93

-72.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$14.45 NOK 135

-67.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$13.02 NOK 121

43.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$3.07 NOK 28.58

-41.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.91 NOK 36.39

-17.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$2.81 NOK 26.17

-67.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$75.5 NOK 703

-74.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$10.01 NOK 93.2

-85.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$1.26 NOK 11.77

2.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$103 NOK 959

-92.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$2.17 NOK 20.21

-41.47%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$39.9K NOK 371.5K

-46.68%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$38.9K NOK 362.0K

-42.87%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$217 NOK 2,021

-68.18%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$44.32 NOK 413

-68.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$38.34 NOK 357

-53.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$86.1 NOK 801

-52.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$35.80 NOK 333

-80.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$14.77 NOK 138

-59.92%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$310 NOK 2,887

-3.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$10.2K NOK 95.4K

45.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$97.8 NOK 910

-44.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$25.22 NOK 235

6.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$97.7 NOK 909

-13.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$142 NOK 1,326

-50.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$932 NOK 8,676

-54.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$777 NOK 7,229

-69.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,491 NOK 13.9K

-46.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$1,343 NOK 12.5K

-61.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$10.8K NOK 100.7K

-81.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$6,561 NOK 61.1K

-77.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$3,747 NOK 34.9K

-83.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

14.16%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Drammen: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $932 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 507% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $75.0 in Drammen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $383 – 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 155% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,321 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $310 in Drammen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% 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 $866, than in Drammen at $2,214. 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 $866 versus $2,214 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.