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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,597 in Larvik, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,061 in Larvik, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,525 in Larvik, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 64% cheaper than Larvik, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Larvik is 90% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$21.32 NOK 201

-90.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$130 NOK 1,229

-84.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$16.33 NOK 154

-65.28%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$6.09 NOK 57.4

-70.28%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$4.10 NOK 38.58

-81.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$3.47 NOK 32.65

-89.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$11.92 NOK 112

-81.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$12.91 NOK 122

-70.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$2.59 NOK 24.38

-20.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$4.14 NOK 38.99

-63.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.60 NOK 15.05

-12.50%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$3.81 NOK 35.86

-40.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$15.10 NOK 142

7.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$15.72 NOK 148

-81.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$30.37 NOK 286

-68.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$3.31 NOK 31.22

-19.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$2.76 NOK 25.99

-60.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$2.61 NOK 24.57

-37.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$4.51 NOK 42.48

-67.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$2.72 NOK 25.67

-52.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$2.87 NOK 27.00

-63.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$2.73 NOK 25.72

-73.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$1.58 NOK 14.87

-66.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$14.84 NOK 140

-71.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$16.79 NOK 158

8.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$3.46 NOK 32.62

-52.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$4.18 NOK 39.38

-30.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$4.76 NOK 44.81

-81.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

$63.8 NOK 601

-15.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$9.53 NOK 89.8

-87.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$1.63 NOK 15.36

-64.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$70.9 NOK 668

-96.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$2.35 NOK 22.11

-38.30%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$42.6K NOK 401.2K

-50.67%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$45.7K NOK 430.9K

-42.24%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$298 NOK 2,807

-78.64%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$21.40 NOK 202

-39.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$42.05 NOK 396

-51.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$51.8 NOK 488

-24.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$37.29 NOK 351

-89.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$15.93 NOK 150

-58.69%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$160 NOK 1,510

388.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$15.7K NOK 147.5K

-6.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$73.8 NOK 695

-25.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$62.3 NOK 587

-60.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$109 NOK 1,029

-13.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$129 NOK 1,215

-42.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$1,256 NOK 11.8K

-60.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$1,023 NOK 9,640

-71.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$2,025 NOK 19.1K

-56.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$1,716 NOK 16.2K

-69.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$6,320 NOK 59.5K

-68.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

$4,176 NOK 39.3K

-65.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$3,269 NOK 30.8K

-81.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.75

17.26%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Larvik: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $1,256 in Larvik. 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 443% higher in Larvik, 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 $130 in Larvik. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $473 – 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 Larvik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Larvik costs about 179% 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 $3,896 in Larvik. 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 $160 in Larvik. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 96% more in Larvik, 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 Larvik at $2,597. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Larvik it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $2,597 in Larvik. 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, Larvik makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.