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 $2,266 in Farsund, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,537 in Farsund, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,807 in Farsund, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 62% cheaper than Farsund, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Farsund is 70% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$25.62 NOK 243

-92.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$82.6 NOK 783

-77.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$12.07 NOK 114

-34.88%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$5.16 NOK 48.96

-60.66%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$4.02 NOK 38.13

-80.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$3.33 NOK 31.59

-89.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$10.00 NOK 94.8

-78.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$7.91 NOK 75.1

-53.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$2.05 NOK 19.40

-15.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$3.11 NOK 29.51

-49.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$4.49 NOK 42.54

-73.27%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$3.61 NOK 34.21

-45.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$12.01 NOK 114

35.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$15.37 NOK 146

-80.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$19.91 NOK 189

-45.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.98 NOK 18.73

39.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.98 NOK 18.76

-40.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.97 NOK 18.68

-13.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.96 NOK 18.62

-18.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.98 NOK 18.79

-29.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$2.05 NOK 19.40

-43.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.98 NOK 18.82

-66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.03 NOK 9.76

-49.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$10.10 NOK 95.8

-53.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$18.60 NOK 176

-4.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$3.52 NOK 33.38

-49.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$4.02 NOK 38.15

-16.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$4.18 NOK 39.61

-78.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$73.6 NOK 697

-74.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$12.26 NOK 116

-88.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$2.17 NOK 20.56

-38.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$40.81 NOK 387

-80.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$2.22 NOK 21.01

-44.59%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$30.1K NOK 285.4K

-28.77%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$30.8K NOK 292.0K

-29.14%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$192 NOK 1,819

-62.81%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$42.40 NOK 402

-66.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$20.39 NOK 193

-12.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$48.83 NOK 463

-16.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$35.74 NOK 339

-80.75%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$15.37 NOK 146

-62.78%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$323 NOK 3,060

-4.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$5,003 NOK 47.4K

193.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$89.5 NOK 849

-37.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$30.88 NOK 293

-15.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$102 NOK 965

-16.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$154 NOK 1,465

-54.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$1,219 NOK 11.6K

-65.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$896 NOK 8,495

-72.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$1,804 NOK 17.1K

-55.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$1,544 NOK 14.6K

-67.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$5,401 NOK 51.2K

-64.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$3,664 NOK 34.7K

-60.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$3,584 NOK 34.0K

-83.40%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Farsund: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,219 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 502% 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 $83.0 in Farsund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $389 – 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 166% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,399 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $323 in Farsund. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% 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 $2,266. 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 $2,266 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.