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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,316 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,511 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,705 in Kongsberg, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 63% cheaper than Kongsberg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Kongsberg is 73% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.7

$22.56 NOK 217

-91.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿616

$70.6 NOK 680

-74.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿251

$13.14 NOK 127

-43.07%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.7

$4.82 NOK 46.38

-58.09%

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

$0.85 ฿28.45

$2.47 NOK 23.79

-65.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.94

$2.12 NOK 20.39

-83.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$8.99 NOK 86.6

-76.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$10.07 NOK 97.0

-64.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$2.11 NOK 20.37

-21.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.6

$3.05 NOK 29.36

-48.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.95

$3.18 NOK 30.65

-62.58%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.0

$4.69 NOK 45.18

-58.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$10.32 NOK 99.4

56.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿100

$11.68 NOK 113

-74.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿367

$17.66 NOK 170

-38.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.0

$3.17 NOK 30.52

-14.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$2.35 NOK 22.65

-50.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$3.24 NOK 31.24

-47.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$4.12 NOK 39.70

-61.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.45

$2.20 NOK 21.20

-37.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.38

$2.24 NOK 21.55

-46.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.46

$3.02 NOK 29.05

-77.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.70

$1.83 NOK 17.62

-69.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$17.19 NOK 166

-73.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿591

$15.05 NOK 145

17.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

$3.21 NOK 30.89

-42.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$3.84 NOK 36.96

-14.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

$2.46 NOK 23.66

-64.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

$89.4 NOK 861

-78.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.82

$10.28 NOK 99.0

-86.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

$1.39 NOK 13.34

-3.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$30.31 NOK 292

-72.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.11

$2.15 NOK 20.71

-43.26%

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

$21.4K ฿716.8K

$37.8K NOK 363.9K

-43.48%

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

$22.5K ฿756.3K

$40.6K NOK 390.8K

-44.48%

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

$70.7 ฿2,372

$215 NOK 2,068

-67.09%

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

$14.04 ฿471

$27.07 NOK 261

-48.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿587

$38.56 NOK 371

-54.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,415

$44.95 NOK 433

-6.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$53.3 NOK 513

-87.08%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$20.47 NOK 197

-71.08%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$302 NOK 2,908

2.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿499.5K

$3,636 NOK 35.0K

309.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,872

$87.8 NOK 846

-36.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿877

$51.3 NOK 494

-49.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,787

$156 NOK 1,503

-46.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,365

$159 NOK 1,530

-55.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$993 NOK 9,567

-56.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,020

$884 NOK 8,516

-72.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.6K

$1,765 NOK 17.0K

-53.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$1,583 NOK 15.2K

-67.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

$6,007 NOK 57.9K

-68.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$4,030 NOK 38.8K

-63.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

$3,474 NOK 33.5K

-83.32%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kongsberg: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $993 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 500% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $71.0 in Kongsberg. 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 Kongsberg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kongsberg costs about 169% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,474 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $302 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 $861, than in Kongsberg at $2,316. 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 $861 versus $2,316 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.