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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,284 in Farsund, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,464 in Farsund, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,644 in Farsund, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 63% cheaper than Farsund, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Farsund is 71% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$25.19 NOK 235

-92.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$79.9 NOK 744

-76.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$12.08 NOK 113

-34.44%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$5.08 NOK 47.33

-62.40%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$3.99 NOK 37.21

-78.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$3.41 NOK 31.80

-89.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$10.25 NOK 95.5

-78.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$8.26 NOK 77.0

-54.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.99 NOK 18.57

-17.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$3.06 NOK 28.48

-47.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$4.67 NOK 43.57

-74.73%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$3.54 NOK 32.98

-43.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$12.19 NOK 114

30.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$15.14 NOK 141

-80.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$20.52 NOK 191

-47.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.01 NOK 18.69

29.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.98 NOK 18.47

-38.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.04 NOK 19.02

-16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.07 NOK 19.32

-23.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.97 NOK 18.33

-32.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$2.04 NOK 19.00

-42.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$2.04 NOK 19.00

-67.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.99 NOK 9.21

-43.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$10.25 NOK 95.5

-55.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$10.62 NOK 99.0

71.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$3.48 NOK 32.40

-47.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$4.01 NOK 37.39

-19.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$4.24 NOK 39.48

-79.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$74.7 NOK 696

-74.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$11.98 NOK 112

-88.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$2.08 NOK 19.40

-35.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$40.64 NOK 379

-79.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$2.14 NOK 19.93

-40.65%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$30.8K NOK 286.7K

-31.23%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$30.2K NOK 281.4K

-25.52%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$187 NOK 1,740

-62.43%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$42.04 NOK 392

-67.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$20.42 NOK 190

-13.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$49.22 NOK 459

-15.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$35.58 NOK 332

-81.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$15.35 NOK 143

-62.35%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$325 NOK 3,031

-5.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$5,146 NOK 48.0K

188.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$89.4 NOK 833

-39.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$29.87 NOK 278

-12.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$102 NOK 947

-16.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$154 NOK 1,439

-55.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$1,223 NOK 11.4K

-65.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$878 NOK 8,185

-72.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$1,808 NOK 16.8K

-54.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,553 NOK 14.5K

-66.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$5,876 NOK 54.8K

-65.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$4,586 NOK 42.7K

-66.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$3,214 NOK 30.0K

-80.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

66.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Farsund: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $1,223 in Farsund. 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 406% higher in Farsund, 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 $80.0 in Farsund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $374 – 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 Farsund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Farsund costs about 168% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,427 in Farsund. 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $325 in Farsund. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% more in Farsund, 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 Farsund at $2,284. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Farsund it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $2,284 in Farsund. 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, Farsund makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.