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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,692 in Fredrikstad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,055 in Fredrikstad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,418 in Fredrikstad, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 68% cheaper than Fredrikstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Fredrikstad is 101% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$18.53 NOK 172

-89.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$110 NOK 1,018

-82.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$11.98 NOK 111

-34.72%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$5.16 NOK 47.91

-62.21%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$3.90 NOK 36.25

-78.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$2.80 NOK 25.98

-87.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$11.30 NOK 105

-81.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$10.19 NOK 94.7

-63.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.17 NOK 20.17

-21.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$4.45 NOK 41.36

-63.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$3.23 NOK 30.00

-64.71%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$5.46 NOK 50.8

-64.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.89 NOK 110

36.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$15.75 NOK 146

-80.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$33.73 NOK 313

-67.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$4.74 NOK 44.06

-41.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$3.45 NOK 32.09

-64.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$4.50 NOK 41.83

-64.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$5.06 NOK 47.00

-68.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.89 NOK 26.81

-51.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.75 NOK 25.58

-57.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$2.73 NOK 25.40

-75.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.82 NOK 16.94

-70.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$15.09 NOK 140

-68.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$22.89 NOK 213

-18.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$3.32 NOK 30.80

-45.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$6.01 NOK 55.8

-46.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$3.90 NOK 36.22

-76.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$62.3 NOK 579

-69.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$6.15 NOK 57.1

-77.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.46 NOK 13.56

-11.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$53.8 NOK 500

-85.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$2.32 NOK 21.58

-45.26%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$35.3K NOK 328.0K

-39.74%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$37.8K NOK 351.5K

-41.30%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$336 NOK 3,119

-79.43%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$38.13 NOK 354

-63.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$56.0 NOK 520

-67.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$48.08 NOK 447

-14.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$39.46 NOK 367

-82.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$21.86 NOK 203

-72.92%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$283 NOK 2,629

5.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$10.1K NOK 93.9K

47.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$149 NOK 1,383

-63.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$61.3 NOK 569

-56.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$166 NOK 1,539

-48.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$134 NOK 1,242

-47.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$1,288 NOK 12.0K

-66.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$953 NOK 8,851

-75.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$2,048 NOK 19.0K

-60.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,537 NOK 14.3K

-66.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$6,150 NOK 57.1K

-67.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$4,533 NOK 42.1K

-67.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$3,416 NOK 31.7K

-81.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

17.65%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Fredrikstad: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,288 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 453% 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 $110 in Fredrikstad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $526 – 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 211% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,038 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $283 in Fredrikstad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 113% 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 $866, than in Fredrikstad at $2,692. 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 $866 versus $2,692 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.