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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,478 in Kongsvinger, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,761 in Kongsvinger, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,044 in Kongsvinger, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 66% cheaper than Kongsvinger, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Kongsvinger is 85% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$25.08 NOK 233

-92.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$103 NOK 953

-82.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$13.73 NOK 128

-45.38%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$4.88 NOK 45.39

-60.45%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$3.13 NOK 29.11

-75.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$2.95 NOK 27.43

-89.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$10.25 NOK 95.3

-79.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$9.75 NOK 90.6

-61.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$2.27 NOK 21.13

-24.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$3.34 NOK 31.05

-53.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$3.14 NOK 29.25

-62.42%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$4.44 NOK 41.25

-55.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$12.10 NOK 113

32.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$14.41 NOK 134

-78.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$28.39 NOK 264

-61.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$3.45 NOK 32.09

-23.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$2.42 NOK 22.48

-51.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$3.25 NOK 30.22

-49.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$4.36 NOK 40.52

-64.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$2.45 NOK 22.76

-43.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$2.56 NOK 23.85

-54.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$2.74 NOK 25.44

-75.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$1.84 NOK 17.12

-72.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$14.93 NOK 139

-69.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$18.24 NOK 170

0.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$3.27 NOK 30.37

-44.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$4.03 NOK 37.44

-21.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$4.32 NOK 40.20

-79.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$72.4 NOK 673

-73.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$10.19 NOK 94.8

-86.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$1.45 NOK 13.53

-9.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$46.57 NOK 433

-82.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$2.10 NOK 19.54

-39.05%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$35.0K NOK 325.7K

-39.20%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$38.8K NOK 361.2K

-44.12%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$238 NOK 2,213

-70.92%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$38.79 NOK 361

-63.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$55.3 NOK 515

-67.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$48.95 NOK 455

-13.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$35.15 NOK 327

-81.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$16.68 NOK 155

-64.51%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$285 NOK 2,653

4.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$10.1K NOK 94.3K

46.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$97.5 NOK 907

-42.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$52.4 NOK 488

-48.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$108 NOK 1,005

-21.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$150 NOK 1,393

-52.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$1,221 NOK 11.4K

-64.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$890 NOK 8,274

-73.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$1,822 NOK 16.9K

-56.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$1,567 NOK 14.6K

-68.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$6,074 NOK 56.5K

-67.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$4,538 NOK 42.2K

-66.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Kongsvinger: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $1,221 in Kongsvinger. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18 in Chiang Mai versus $103 in Kongsvinger. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $453 – 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 Kongsvinger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kongsvinger costs about 193% 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,717 in Kongsvinger. 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 $285 in Kongsvinger. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 86% more in Kongsvinger, 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 $845, than in Kongsvinger at $2,478. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kongsvinger it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $2,478 in Kongsvinger. 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, Kongsvinger makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.