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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,299 in Farsund, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,478 in Farsund, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,656 in Farsund, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Farsund is 71% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$25.42 NOK 241

-92.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$80.8 NOK 767

-76.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$12.32 NOK 117

-37.09%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$5.17 NOK 49.04

-62.86%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$3.89 NOK 36.95

-79.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$3.32 NOK 31.47

-89.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$9.99 NOK 94.9

-77.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$8.26 NOK 78.4

-55.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.98 NOK 18.81

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$3.05 NOK 28.97

-46.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$4.49 NOK 42.63

-73.50%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$3.56 NOK 33.82

-43.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$12.37 NOK 117

29.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$15.08 NOK 143

-79.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$20.50 NOK 195

-47.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.05 NOK 19.43

34.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.08 NOK 19.70

-43.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.06 NOK 19.59

-20.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.07 NOK 19.60

-26.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$2.06 NOK 19.51

-33.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$2.07 NOK 19.61

-42.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$2.07 NOK 19.69

-66.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.99 NOK 9.39

-43.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$10.10 NOK 95.8

-54.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$10.44 NOK 99.1

58.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$3.50 NOK 33.27

-47.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$4.17 NOK 39.56

-23.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$4.30 NOK 40.85

-79.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$72.0 NOK 683

-74.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$12.00 NOK 114

-88.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$2.17 NOK 20.57

-38.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$41.26 NOK 392

-81.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$2.13 NOK 20.17

-42.25%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$30.3K NOK 288.0K

-28.74%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$30.5K NOK 289.4K

-26.05%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$189 NOK 1,794

-62.67%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$41.81 NOK 397

-67.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$20.63 NOK 196

-15.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$49.76 NOK 472

-16.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$34.88 NOK 331

-80.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$15.08 NOK 143

-61.74%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$321 NOK 3,042

-4.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$5,002 NOK 47.5K

192.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$89.3 NOK 847

-37.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$30.01 NOK 285

-12.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$102 NOK 969

-15.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$151 NOK 1,429

-52.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$1,196 NOK 11.4K

-64.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$893 NOK 8,477

-73.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$1,839 NOK 17.5K

-55.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$1,543 NOK 14.6K

-66.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$5,969 NOK 56.7K

-66.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$4,444 NOK 42.2K

-66.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$3,075 NOK 29.2K

-79.87%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Farsund: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $1,196 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 397% 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 $81.0 in Farsund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $375 – 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 165% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,449 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $321 in Farsund. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% 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 $869, than in Farsund at $2,299. 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 $869 versus $2,299 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.