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 $2,452 in Grimstad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,553 in Grimstad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,654 in Grimstad, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 65% cheaper than Grimstad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Grimstad is 84% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$22.92 NOK 220

-91.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$50.8 NOK 488

-63.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$14.84 NOK 142

-47.04%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$4.47 NOK 42.89

-54.59%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$3.99 NOK 38.24

-79.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$3.32 NOK 31.81

-89.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$12.32 NOK 118

-82.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$10.31 NOK 98.9

-64.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$2.30 NOK 22.11

-24.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$3.23 NOK 30.99

-51.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$2.95 NOK 28.35

-59.32%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$3.13 NOK 29.98

-37.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$10.76 NOK 103

50.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$13.86 NOK 133

-77.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$15.99 NOK 153

-32.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$2.00 NOK 19.15

38.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$2.22 NOK 21.33

-47.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$3.43 NOK 32.87

-50.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$3.96 NOK 37.97

-59.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$2.50 NOK 24.01

-44.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$2.63 NOK 25.22

-55.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$2.79 NOK 26.75

-76.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$1.75 NOK 16.78

-70.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$17.01 NOK 163

-72.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$15.50 NOK 149

14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$3.37 NOK 32.35

-46.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$4.38 NOK 41.97

-23.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$5.20 NOK 49.91

-82.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$74.7 NOK 717

-75.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$10.04 NOK 96.3

-85.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$1.41 NOK 13.52

-4.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$42.65 NOK 409

-80.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$2.26 NOK 21.65

-45.58%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$35.5K NOK 340.8K

-39.67%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$43.4K NOK 416.7K

-49.76%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$299 NOK 2,864

-76.11%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$28.29 NOK 271

-50.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$55.0 NOK 528

-67.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$49.39 NOK 474

-17.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$35.26 NOK 338

-80.49%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$15.14 NOK 145

-62.22%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$267 NOK 2,565

15.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$14.7K NOK 141.3K

-0.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$49.96 NOK 479

11.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$61.3 NOK 588

-57.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$99.9 NOK 959

-15.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$165 NOK 1,580

-56.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$1,227 NOK 11.8K

-65.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$894 NOK 8,576

-72.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$1,789 NOK 17.2K

-55.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$1,541 NOK 14.8K

-67.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$4,700 NOK 45.1K

-59.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$3,305 NOK 31.7K

-55.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$4,443 NOK 42.6K

-86.61%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Grimstad: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,227 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 647% 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: $244 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 188% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,678 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $267 in Grimstad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% 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 $2,452. 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 $2,452 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.