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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,741 in Kongsvinger, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,119 in Kongsvinger, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,498 in Kongsvinger, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Kongsvinger is 99% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$21.10 NOK 196

-90.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$108 NOK 1,004

-81.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$16.21 NOK 150

-64.28%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$5.72 NOK 53.1

-68.01%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$4.25 NOK 39.46

-81.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$3.17 NOK 29.36

-90.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$11.71 NOK 109

-80.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$10.62 NOK 98.5

-65.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$4.02 NOK 37.30

-49.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$3.63 NOK 33.71

-55.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$3.85 NOK 35.68

-63.12%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$5.08 NOK 47.10

-57.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$13.38 NOK 124

18.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$15.26 NOK 142

-79.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$30.65 NOK 284

-67.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$3.41 NOK 31.62

-22.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$2.78 NOK 25.78

-60.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$3.52 NOK 32.63

-53.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$5.42 NOK 50.3

-71.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$3.02 NOK 27.98

-58.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$2.95 NOK 27.37

-61.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$3.06 NOK 28.42

-75.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$2.41 NOK 22.34

-79.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$17.87 NOK 166

-76.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$16.90 NOK 157

6.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$3.46 NOK 32.09

-50.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$4.22 NOK 39.14

-31.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$4.60 NOK 42.71

-79.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$84.7 NOK 786

-34.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$12.29 NOK 114

-89.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.82 NOK 16.86

-70.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$70.9 NOK 657

-96.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$2.32 NOK 21.56

-37.93%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$48.7K NOK 452.0K

-56.51%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$45.1K NOK 418.0K

-39.41%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$279 NOK 2,589

-76.74%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$33.51 NOK 311

-60.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$58.6 NOK 543

-64.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$51.6 NOK 479

-21.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$37.75 NOK 350

-89.54%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$18.10 NOK 168

-62.93%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$251 NOK 2,326

213.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$12.0K NOK 111.2K

26.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$101 NOK 934

-44.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$55.5 NOK 515

-55.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$128 NOK 1,187

-27.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$157 NOK 1,461

-52.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$1,233 NOK 11.4K

-60.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$1,050 NOK 9,738

-72.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$2,020 NOK 18.7K

-54.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$1,685 NOK 15.6K

-68.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$6,390 NOK 59.3K

-69.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$4,299 NOK 39.9K

-66.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.96

12.30%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kongsvinger: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $1,233 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $108 in Kongsvinger. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $511 – 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 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,112 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 $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $251 in Kongsvinger. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 111% 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 $950, than in Kongsvinger at $2,741. 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 $950 versus $2,741 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.