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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,030 in Fredrikstad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,355 in Fredrikstad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,681 in Fredrikstad, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 69% cheaper than Fredrikstad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Fredrikstad is 121% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$23.41 NOK 218

-91.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿651

$119 NOK 1,110

-83.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿188

$12.56 NOK 117

-55.02%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.9

$6.72 NOK 62.6

-73.07%

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

$0.71 ฿23.66

$5.87 NOK 54.7

-87.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.48

$4.60 NOK 42.82

-93.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿74.2

$12.33 NOK 115

-81.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

$9.41 NOK 87.7

-61.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿65.0

$2.42 NOK 22.54

-19.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.83

$4.34 NOK 40.42

-65.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.32

$3.56 NOK 33.13

-62.36%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$6.10 NOK 56.9

-62.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿539

$13.26 NOK 124

22.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.0

$18.44 NOK 172

-84.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿330

$35.83 NOK 334

-72.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿85.3

$4.68 NOK 43.62

-45.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.04

$3.55 NOK 33.03

-70.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.5

$4.46 NOK 41.58

-63.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.4

$5.21 NOK 48.57

-70.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿42.14

$2.95 NOK 27.45

-56.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.37

$2.83 NOK 26.35

-62.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.89

$2.96 NOK 27.61

-75.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.87

$2.40 NOK 22.37

-78.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿139

$16.07 NOK 150

-73.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿593

$22.17 NOK 207

-19.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿56.2

$3.58 NOK 33.35

-52.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿94.1

$4.28 NOK 39.88

-33.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.70

$4.16 NOK 38.72

-77.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

$66.8 NOK 622

-19.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.95

$12.99 NOK 121

-90.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.13

$1.69 NOK 15.76

-65.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿80.4

$72.7 NOK 677

-96.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.84

$2.39 NOK 22.29

-41.00%

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

$21.4K ฿711.3K

$42.7K NOK 397.8K

-49.78%

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

$27.3K ฿906.7K

$50.0K NOK 466.3K

-45.39%

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

$63.7 ฿2,112

$338 NOK 3,153

-81.18%

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

$12.85 ฿426

$46.68 NOK 435

-72.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿671

$66.5 NOK 619

-69.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,285

$59.1 NOK 550

-34.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

$41.58 NOK 387

-90.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿223

$20.69 NOK 193

-67.42%

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

$778 ฿25.8K

$174 NOK 1,621

347.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿484.6K

$11.1K NOK 103.3K

31.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,801

$162 NOK 1,508

-66.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿844

$79.4 NOK 740

-67.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,129

$144 NOK 1,343

-34.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,436

$114 NOK 1,061

-35.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.2K

$1,391 NOK 13.0K

-64.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,596

$1,125 NOK 10.5K

-74.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.6K

$1,851 NOK 17.2K

-51.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.1K

$1,510 NOK 14.1K

-65.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.9K

$6,312 NOK 58.8K

-69.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.0K

$4,204 NOK 39.2K

-64.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$3,454 NOK 32.2K

-82.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.95

12.53%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Fredrikstad: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $1,391 in Fredrikstad. 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 474% higher in Fredrikstad, 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 $119 in Fredrikstad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $560 – 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 Fredrikstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fredrikstad costs about 220% 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,545 in Fredrikstad. 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 $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $174 in Fredrikstad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 133% more in Fredrikstad, 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 $947, than in Fredrikstad at $3,030. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fredrikstad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $3,030 in Fredrikstad. 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, Fredrikstad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.