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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,385 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,610 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,835 in Kongsberg, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Kongsberg is 78% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$21.87 NOK 203

-91.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$70.1 NOK 651

-73.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$13.62 NOK 127

-42.58%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$4.90 NOK 45.54

-60.20%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$2.51 NOK 23.32

-66.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$2.15 NOK 19.98

-83.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$9.37 NOK 87.0

-77.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$10.26 NOK 95.3

-63.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.18 NOK 20.21

-21.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.98 NOK 27.69

-45.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$3.25 NOK 30.23

-64.92%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$4.61 NOK 42.82

-58.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$10.44 NOK 97.0

55.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$11.72 NOK 109

-73.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$18.12 NOK 168

-39.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.02 NOK 28.05

-8.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.26 NOK 21.04

-46.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$3.28 NOK 30.46

-50.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$4.13 NOK 38.38

-61.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.19 NOK 20.37

-36.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.24 NOK 20.83

-47.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$2.92 NOK 27.10

-77.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.82 NOK 16.88

-70.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$17.52 NOK 163

-73.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$16.39 NOK 152

13.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$3.19 NOK 29.63

-43.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.84 NOK 35.70

-15.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$2.57 NOK 23.91

-64.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$91.2 NOK 848

-78.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$10.09 NOK 93.7

-86.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.45 NOK 13.46

-11.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$30.30 NOK 281

-74.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$2.20 NOK 20.41

-42.27%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$37.2K NOK 346.0K

-42.87%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$40.0K NOK 371.5K

-44.45%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$217 NOK 2,016

-68.17%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$26.89 NOK 250

-47.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$38.57 NOK 358

-53.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$45.30 NOK 421

-9.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$53.3 NOK 495

-86.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$20.23 NOK 188

-70.74%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$306 NOK 2,847

-2.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,663 NOK 34.0K

308.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$86.1 NOK 799

-36.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$52.1 NOK 484

-48.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$159 NOK 1,479

-46.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$164 NOK 1,522

-56.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$1,003 NOK 9,314

-57.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$902 NOK 8,378

-73.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,723 NOK 16.0K

-53.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,539 NOK 14.3K

-66.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$6,208 NOK 57.7K

-68.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$4,384 NOK 40.7K

-66.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$3,604 NOK 33.5K

-82.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

14.16%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kongsberg: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,003 in Kongsberg. 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 484% higher in Kongsberg, 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 $70.0 in Kongsberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $391 – 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 Kongsberg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kongsberg costs about 175% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,577 in Kongsberg. 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 $306 in Kongsberg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% more in Kongsberg, 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 Kongsberg at $2,385. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kongsberg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $2,385 in Kongsberg. 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, Kongsberg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.