Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Fredrikstad

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $2,983 in Fredrikstad, rent and utilities included – about $24,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
144

Cost of Living Index in Fredrikstad
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Fredrikstad Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Fredrikstad

🇳🇴 Norway

$2,983

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Fredrikstad

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Fredrikstad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,983 in Fredrikstad, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Fredrikstad $2,983

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,345 in Fredrikstad, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Fredrikstad $4,345

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,707 in Fredrikstad, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Fredrikstad $5,707

Chiang Mai is about 69% cheaper than Fredrikstad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 30% below the global median, while Fredrikstad is 121% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$26.28 NOK 247

-91.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$124 NOK 1,170

-84.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$12.65 NOK 119

-55.81%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$6.77 NOK 63.7

-74.59%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$5.55 NOK 52.3

-88.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$4.39 NOK 41.36

-92.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

$11.55 NOK 109

-79.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

$9.57 NOK 90.1

-59.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$2.34 NOK 22.00

-12.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$4.31 NOK 40.56

-67.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$3.43 NOK 32.31

-62.68%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$5.82 NOK 54.8

-61.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$13.06 NOK 123

29.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$17.96 NOK 169

-84.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$34.38 NOK 324

-72.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$3.37 NOK 31.71

-28.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$3.64 NOK 34.24

-72.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$4.30 NOK 40.49

-62.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$5.00 NOK 47.06

-69.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$2.63 NOK 24.74

-51.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$2.71 NOK 25.53

-59.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$2.82 NOK 26.50

-74.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$2.33 NOK 21.95

-77.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$15.51 NOK 146

-72.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

$22.16 NOK 209

-19.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$3.49 NOK 32.81

-53.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$4.39 NOK 41.34

-35.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$4.11 NOK 38.71

-79.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$64.5 NOK 607

-16.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$12.56 NOK 118

-90.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$2.00 NOK 18.79

-71.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$70.1 NOK 660

-96.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$2.30 NOK 21.64

-36.96%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$49.8K NOK 468.4K

-58.85%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$46.9K NOK 441.1K

-43.41%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$331 NOK 3,118

-81.18%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$45.60 NOK 429

-73.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$66.9 NOK 630

-70.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$58.3 NOK 549

-34.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

$40.86 NOK 385

-90.80%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$20.19 NOK 190

-66.77%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

$168 NOK 1,579

375.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

$12.5K NOK 117.8K

18.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$155 NOK 1,459

-65.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$78.7 NOK 741

-68.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$144 NOK 1,358

-36.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$112 NOK 1,051

-34.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$1,329 NOK 12.5K

-65.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$1,131 NOK 10.6K

-73.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$1,822 NOK 17.1K

-49.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$1,516 NOK 14.3K

-63.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

$6,022 NOK 56.7K

-68.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

$4,131 NOK 38.9K

-65.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$3,372 NOK 31.7K

-82.35%

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: October 13, 2026

Last update for Fredrikstad: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Fredrikstad

$1.1K 37.9% 271% $826

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Fredrikstad

$540 18.1% 127% $302

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Fredrikstad

$220 7.4% 101% $111

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Fredrikstad

$444 14.9% 369% $349

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Fredrikstad

$446 15% 465% $367

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Fredrikstad

$103 3.5% 68.7% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Fredrikstad

$99 3.3% 92.2% $47

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $1,329 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 467% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $124 in Fredrikstad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $540 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇳🇴 Fredrikstad

🕒 Local time

11:20 11:20 AM

06:20 6:20 AM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

85,267

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Norwegian Krone NOK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 NOK = 10.62 USD

100 NOK = 9.45 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NOK, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 9.41 NOK (1 NOK = 0.106 USD). 1 EUR = 10.58 NOK (100 NOK = 9.45 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Fredrikstad 8,120 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Fredrikstad

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 218% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,475 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 $797 per month in Chiang Mai and $168 in Fredrikstad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 127% 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 $938, than in Fredrikstad at $2,983. 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 $938 versus $2,983 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.