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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,247 in Larvik, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,398 in Larvik, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,549 in Larvik, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 62% cheaper than Larvik, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Larvik is 69% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$29.33 NOK 278

-93.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$101 NOK 955

-81.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$13.11 NOK 124

-40.05%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$4.90 NOK 46.46

-58.57%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$2.46 NOK 23.37

-67.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$2.13 NOK 20.21

-83.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$8.99 NOK 85.3

-76.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$9.82 NOK 93.1

-62.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$2.09 NOK 19.86

-17.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$3.43 NOK 32.51

-54.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.54 NOK 14.63

-22.08%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$3.75 NOK 35.52

-47.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$11.46 NOK 109

41.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$13.89 NOK 132

-77.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$30.17 NOK 286

-64.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.11 NOK 29.49

-10.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.35 NOK 22.27

-50.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.57 NOK 24.34

-33.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$4.12 NOK 39.11

-61.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$2.19 NOK 20.72

-36.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$2.20 NOK 20.82

-47.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$2.60 NOK 24.67

-74.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.55 NOK 14.69

-66.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$14.01 NOK 133

-66.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$17.43 NOK 165

2.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$3.20 NOK 30.38

-44.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$3.95 NOK 37.50

-15.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$4.18 NOK 39.62

-78.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$61.3 NOK 581

-69.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$9.26 NOK 87.9

-84.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.37 NOK 12.97

-2.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$100 NOK 951

-91.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$2.08 NOK 19.73

-40.87%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$40.7K NOK 386.3K

-47.38%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$50.0K NOK 473.8K

-56.32%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$220 NOK 2,085

-67.57%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$20.22 NOK 192

-30.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$37.72 NOK 358

-52.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$51.5 NOK 489

-20.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$40.35 NOK 383

-82.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$14.64 NOK 139

-60.93%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$152 NOK 1,438

103.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$9,995 NOK 94.8K

46.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$69.7 NOK 661

-20.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$46.36 NOK 440

-43.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$97.6 NOK 926

-13.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$120 NOK 1,138

-40.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$1,192 NOK 11.3K

-64.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$825 NOK 7,818

-70.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$1,346 NOK 12.8K

-40.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$1,103 NOK 10.5K

-54.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$5,998 NOK 56.9K

-68.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$3,944 NOK 37.4K

-62.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$3,180 NOK 30.2K

-81.29%

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 Larvik: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,192 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 434% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $101 in Larvik. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $430 – 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 164% 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 $3,371 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $152 in Larvik. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 76% 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 $852, than in Larvik at $2,247. 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 $852 versus $2,247 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.