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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,390 in Grimstad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,520 in Grimstad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,651 in Grimstad, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 64% cheaper than Grimstad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Grimstad is 79% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$22.99 NOK 214

-91.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$51.1 NOK 477

-63.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$14.93 NOK 139

-46.95%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$4.54 NOK 42.29

-57.93%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$3.99 NOK 37.19

-78.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$3.31 NOK 30.85

-89.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$12.23 NOK 114

-81.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$10.31 NOK 96.1

-63.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.29 NOK 21.37

-28.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$3.11 NOK 29.00

-47.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$3.00 NOK 28.00

-60.67%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$3.26 NOK 30.37

-38.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$10.73 NOK 100

48.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$13.41 NOK 125

-77.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$16.37 NOK 153

-34.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.08 NOK 19.37

25.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.22 NOK 20.68

-45.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$3.36 NOK 31.30

-49.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$4.02 NOK 37.46

-60.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$2.51 NOK 23.44

-47.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$2.60 NOK 24.27

-55.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$2.87 NOK 26.77

-76.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.76 NOK 16.37

-68.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$17.29 NOK 161

-73.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$16.07 NOK 150

13.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$3.53 NOK 32.91

-48.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$4.30 NOK 40.11

-24.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$4.95 NOK 46.17

-82.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$77.4 NOK 722

-74.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$10.04 NOK 93.6

-86.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.38 NOK 12.90

-2.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$41.93 NOK 391

-80.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$2.20 NOK 20.48

-42.27%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$36.6K NOK 341.3K

-42.23%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$42.2K NOK 392.9K

-46.66%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$301 NOK 2,809

-76.73%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$27.46 NOK 256

-49.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$56.3 NOK 524

-68.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$48.47 NOK 452

-14.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$35.24 NOK 328

-81.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$15.20 NOK 142

-61.97%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$273 NOK 2,545

12.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$15.0K NOK 139.3K

-0.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$50.7 NOK 473

7.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$60.4 NOK 563

-56.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$101 NOK 937

-15.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$167 NOK 1,557

-58.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$1,215 NOK 11.3K

-65.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$905 NOK 8,437

-73.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$1,789 NOK 16.7K

-53.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,551 NOK 14.5K

-66.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$4,492 NOK 41.9K

-85.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.9

2.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Grimstad: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $1,215 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 607% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $51.0 in Grimstad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $388 – 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 180% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,585 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $273 in Grimstad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 60% 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 $852, than in Grimstad at $2,390. 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 $852 versus $2,390 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.