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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,450 in Kongsvinger, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,743 in Kongsvinger, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,036 in Kongsvinger, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Kongsvinger is 84% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$24.82 NOK 238

-91.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$101 NOK 964

-81.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$13.65 NOK 131

-42.42%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$4.85 NOK 46.54

-58.14%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$3.08 NOK 29.54

-74.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$2.79 NOK 26.78

-87.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$10.20 NOK 97.9

-79.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$9.56 NOK 91.7

-61.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$2.25 NOK 21.58

-23.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$3.42 NOK 32.82

-54.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$3.22 NOK 30.91

-62.73%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$4.45 NOK 42.73

-55.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$12.26 NOK 118

32.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$14.59 NOK 140

-79.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$27.50 NOK 264

-60.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$3.56 NOK 34.11

-22.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$2.45 NOK 23.49

-52.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$3.30 NOK 31.66

-48.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$4.39 NOK 42.07

-63.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$2.40 NOK 23.01

-42.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$2.56 NOK 24.56

-54.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$2.77 NOK 26.58

-76.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$1.90 NOK 18.23

-72.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$14.93 NOK 143

-68.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$17.39 NOK 167

2.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$3.26 NOK 31.31

-45.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$3.96 NOK 37.99

-15.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$4.30 NOK 41.29

-78.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$72.4 NOK 695

-74.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$9.95 NOK 95.5

-85.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$1.41 NOK 13.52

-4.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$47.31 NOK 454

-82.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$2.18 NOK 20.93

-43.58%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$35.4K NOK 339.5K

-39.44%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$37.9K NOK 363.8K

-42.45%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$243 NOK 2,330

-70.63%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$38.13 NOK 366

-63.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$55.4 NOK 532

-67.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$49.76 NOK 477

-17.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$35.89 NOK 344

-80.83%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$16.48 NOK 158

-65.29%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$280 NOK 2,684

10.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$9,920 NOK 95.2K

47.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$94.4 NOK 906

-40.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$51.4 NOK 493

-49.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$110 NOK 1,057

-23.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$149 NOK 1,433

-52.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$1,235 NOK 11.8K

-65.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$887 NOK 8,504

-72.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$1,850 NOK 17.7K

-56.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$1,528 NOK 14.7K

-66.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$5,941 NOK 57.0K

-67.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$3,922 NOK 37.6K

-62.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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 27, 2026

Last update for Kongsvinger: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,235 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $101 in Kongsvinger. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $452 – 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 187% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,676 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $280 in Kongsvinger. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 85% 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 $852, than in Kongsvinger at $2,450. 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 $852 versus $2,450 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.