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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,217 in Grimstad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,795 in Grimstad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,373 in Grimstad, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 57% cheaper than Grimstad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Grimstad is 61% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.4

$21.54 NOK 200

-90.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$79.4 NOK 738

-75.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿192

$15.52 NOK 144

-62.69%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.5

$4.83 NOK 44.89

-62.11%

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

$0.78 ฿25.63

$4.34 NOK 40.32

-82.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.38

$3.52 NOK 32.72

-91.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.3

$11.77 NOK 109

-80.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$10.92 NOK 101

-66.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$2.60 NOK 24.13

-21.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.8

$3.76 NOK 34.89

-57.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.80

$3.15 NOK 29.25

-54.92%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.0

$3.62 NOK 33.61

-39.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$13.35 NOK 124

19.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$14.60 NOK 136

-78.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$25.16 NOK 234

-60.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.9

$2.18 NOK 20.28

20.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.23

$2.38 NOK 22.13

-53.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.9

$3.50 NOK 32.53

-53.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$4.41 NOK 40.96

-65.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.16

$2.78 NOK 25.85

-55.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.40

$2.98 NOK 27.69

-62.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.41

$3.20 NOK 29.76

-76.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.50

$1.93 NOK 17.96

-74.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿142

$19.65 NOK 183

-78.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$15.93 NOK 148

12.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.2

$3.48 NOK 32.34

-51.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$4.44 NOK 41.24

-34.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.15

$5.53 NOK 51.4

-83.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,828

$95.2 NOK 885

-41.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.80

$12.33 NOK 115

-90.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.67

$1.85 NOK 17.15

-71.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.4

$71.1 NOK 660

-96.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.60

$2.25 NOK 20.91

-36.00%

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

$21.2K ฿700.9K

$49.3K NOK 457.6K

-56.97%

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

$27.3K ฿903.0K

$46.3K NOK 429.7K

-40.97%

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

$64.9 ฿2,147

$317 NOK 2,947

-79.53%

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

$13.35 ฿442

$33.46 NOK 311

-60.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿689

$57.6 NOK 535

-63.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,337

$43.15 NOK 401

-6.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$16.42 NOK 153

-59.14%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$254 NOK 2,358

210.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿500.1K

$16.3K NOK 151.2K

-7.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,859

$97.7 NOK 908

-42.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿825

$54.4 NOK 505

-54.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,066

$108 NOK 999

-13.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,484

$158 NOK 1,469

-52.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$919 NOK 8,541

-47.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,500

$535 NOK 4,971

-46.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$1,988 NOK 18.5K

-54.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$1,829 NOK 17.0K

-70.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.5K

$4,773 NOK 44.3K

-58.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.0K

$3,457 NOK 32.1K

-58.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$4,632 NOK 43.0K

-86.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.9

13.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Grimstad: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $919 in Grimstad. 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 665% higher in Grimstad, 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 $79.0 in Grimstad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $449 – 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 Grimstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Grimstad costs about 133% 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,326 in Grimstad. 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 $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $254 in Grimstad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 85% more in Grimstad, 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 $950, than in Grimstad at $2,217. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Grimstad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $2,217 in Grimstad. 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, Grimstad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.