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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,690 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,006 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,323 in Kongsberg, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Kongsberg is 97% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$21.13 NOK 199

-90.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$74.0 NOK 697

-73.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$16.39 NOK 154

-65.41%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$5.30 NOK 49.92

-65.85%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$4.09 NOK 38.50

-81.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$3.40 NOK 32.05

-89.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$11.78 NOK 111

-81.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$10.66 NOK 100

-64.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$2.64 NOK 24.85

-22.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$3.18 NOK 29.94

-52.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$4.71 NOK 44.38

-70.28%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$5.10 NOK 48.08

-55.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$11.08 NOK 104

46.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$12.49 NOK 118

-76.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$18.77 NOK 177

-49.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$3.29 NOK 31.01

-18.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$2.66 NOK 25.06

-59.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$3.53 NOK 33.29

-54.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$4.93 NOK 46.41

-70.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$2.69 NOK 25.37

-52.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$2.54 NOK 23.91

-58.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$3.07 NOK 28.94

-76.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$2.46 NOK 23.17

-78.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$18.05 NOK 170

-76.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$16.19 NOK 153

12.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$3.50 NOK 32.98

-53.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$3.99 NOK 37.57

-27.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$3.18 NOK 29.95

-72.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

$96.1 NOK 906

-44.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$12.44 NOK 117

-90.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$1.85 NOK 17.40

-68.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$31.91 NOK 301

-92.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$2.34 NOK 22.07

-38.03%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$48.9K NOK 460.8K

-57.05%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$44.8K NOK 421.9K

-40.99%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$323 NOK 3,045

-80.31%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$28.89 NOK 272

-55.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$56.3 NOK 530

-63.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$47.47 NOK 447

-17.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$56.7 NOK 534

-93.08%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$19.37 NOK 182

-66.03%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$250 NOK 2,355

213.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$3,926 NOK 37.0K

273.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$94.5 NOK 890

-41.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$56.1 NOK 529

-55.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$135 NOK 1,275

-30.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$158 NOK 1,489

-53.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$1,088 NOK 10.2K

-54.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$1,058 NOK 9,970

-72.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$2,046 NOK 19.3K

-56.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$1,712 NOK 16.1K

-69.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$6,368 NOK 60.0K

-69.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

$4,275 NOK 40.3K

-66.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$3,695 NOK 34.8K

-83.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.98

11.85%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kongsberg: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $1,088 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 514% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $74.0 in Kongsberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $433 – 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 189% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,035 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $250 in Kongsberg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 80% 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 $932, than in Kongsberg at $2,690. 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 $932 versus $2,690 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.