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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,212 in Drammen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,324 in Drammen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,437 in Drammen, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Drammen is 66% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$20.63 NOK 199

-90.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$74.8 NOK 721

-75.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$13.18 NOK 127

-43.25%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$4.73 NOK 45.63

-57.29%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$2.45 NOK 23.64

-65.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$2.68 NOK 25.80

-86.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$8.14 NOK 78.5

-73.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$6.23 NOK 60.1

-42.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$2.11 NOK 20.32

-21.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$3.13 NOK 30.17

-49.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$3.32 NOK 32.00

-64.16%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$4.19 NOK 40.41

-53.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$11.24 NOK 108

44.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$13.19 NOK 127

-77.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$17.36 NOK 167

-36.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.95 NOK 18.81

38.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$2.26 NOK 21.75

-48.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$3.29 NOK 31.71

-48.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$3.79 NOK 36.51

-57.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$2.30 NOK 22.22

-40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.34 NOK 12.90

-10.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.79 NOK 17.23

-62.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$1.83 NOK 17.69

-69.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$14.30 NOK 138

-67.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$12.44 NOK 120

41.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$2.93 NOK 28.29

-36.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$4.08 NOK 39.37

-19.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$2.83 NOK 27.26

-68.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$76.5 NOK 737

-74.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$10.25 NOK 98.8

-86.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$1.22 NOK 11.73

9.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$99.6 NOK 960

-91.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$2.16 NOK 20.84

-43.52%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$41.1K NOK 396.1K

-48.01%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$39.1K NOK 377.1K

-42.39%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$218 NOK 2,103

-67.59%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$43.27 NOK 417

-67.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$37.61 NOK 363

-53.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$84.5 NOK 815

-50.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$35.41 NOK 341

-80.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$15.17 NOK 146

-60.98%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$302 NOK 2,909

2.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$10.1K NOK 97.6K

46.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$97.2 NOK 937

-42.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$24.93 NOK 240

4.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$101 NOK 971

-17.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$144 NOK 1,391

-51.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$942 NOK 9,081

-54.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$769 NOK 7,415

-68.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$1,460 NOK 14.1K

-43.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$1,366 NOK 13.2K

-62.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$10.3K NOK 99.7K

-81.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$6,145 NOK 59.3K

-76.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$3,527 NOK 34.0K

-83.57%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Drammen: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $942 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 509% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $75.0 in Drammen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $376 – 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 157% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,318 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $302 in Drammen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% 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 $861, than in Drammen at $2,212. 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 $861 versus $2,212 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.