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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,806 in Farsund, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,257 in Farsund, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,709 in Farsund, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 67% cheaper than Farsund, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Farsund is 105% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$25.95 NOK 244

-91.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$99.6 NOK 939

-80.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$16.40 NOK 154

-65.43%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$6.47 NOK 61.0

-72.02%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$5.46 NOK 51.4

-85.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$4.39 NOK 41.38

-92.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$14.04 NOK 132

-84.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$12.25 NOK 115

-69.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$2.47 NOK 23.26

-17.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$3.55 NOK 33.40

-57.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$4.02 NOK 37.89

-65.17%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$5.05 NOK 47.59

-55.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$14.83 NOK 140

9.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$17.20 NOK 162

-83.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$35.55 NOK 335

-73.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$3.68 NOK 34.69

-27.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$2.82 NOK 26.58

-61.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$3.45 NOK 32.55

-53.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$5.09 NOK 47.92

-71.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$2.61 NOK 24.62

-50.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$3.06 NOK 28.79

-65.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$2.77 NOK 26.12

-74.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$2.35 NOK 22.17

-77.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$17.60 NOK 166

-75.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$18.93 NOK 178

-3.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$3.98 NOK 37.45

-59.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$4.68 NOK 44.11

-38.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$4.15 NOK 39.09

-78.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

$79.6 NOK 750

-32.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$6.31 NOK 59.4

-81.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$1.80 NOK 16.97

-67.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$105 NOK 985

-97.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$2.36 NOK 22.20

-38.56%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$49.7K NOK 468.3K

-57.73%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$41.6K NOK 391.8K

-36.46%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$260 NOK 2,449

-75.52%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$35.60 NOK 335

-63.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$83.3 NOK 784

-75.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$43.89 NOK 413

-11.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$40.23 NOK 379

-90.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$22.48 NOK 212

-70.73%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$326 NOK 3,073

140.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$14.7K NOK 138.9K

-0.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$128 NOK 1,210

-57.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$61.3 NOK 577

-59.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$157 NOK 1,481

-40.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$208 NOK 1,960

-64.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$1,316 NOK 12.4K

-62.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$970 NOK 9,138

-70.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$1,806 NOK 17.0K

-50.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$1,838 NOK 17.3K

-71.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$6,569 NOK 61.9K

-69.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

$3,778 NOK 35.6K

-61.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$3,637 NOK 34.3K

-83.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.27

5.69%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Farsund: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $1,316 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 505% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $100 in Farsund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $529 – 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 201% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,208 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $326 in Farsund. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 119% 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 $932, than in Farsund at $2,806. 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 $932 versus $2,806 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.