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 $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,225 in Larvik, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,348 in Larvik, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,471 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 67% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$29.20 NOK 277

-93.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$103 NOK 974

-82.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$13.52 NOK 128

-41.79%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$5.04 NOK 47.78

-61.31%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$2.47 NOK 23.36

-65.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$2.19 NOK 20.78

-85.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$8.96 NOK 84.9

-76.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$9.65 NOK 91.5

-61.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$2.10 NOK 19.86

-20.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$3.33 NOK 31.57

-53.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$1.51 NOK 14.28

-21.19%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$3.56 NOK 33.70

-44.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$11.20 NOK 106

45.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$13.94 NOK 132

-77.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$29.96 NOK 284

-63.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$3.07 NOK 29.10

-13.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$2.33 NOK 22.08

-47.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$2.61 NOK 24.68

-36.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$4.20 NOK 39.82

-63.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$2.21 NOK 20.95

-39.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$2.24 NOK 21.18

-45.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$2.47 NOK 23.43

-72.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$1.55 NOK 14.72

-63.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$14.07 NOK 133

-66.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$18.11 NOK 172

-6.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$3.32 NOK 31.45

-45.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$3.86 NOK 36.61

-17.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$4.13 NOK 39.16

-77.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

$60.5 NOK 573

-69.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$9.33 NOK 88.4

-84.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$1.35 NOK 12.82

-0.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$102 NOK 961

-91.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$2.20 NOK 20.81

-41.82%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$39.8K NOK 377.2K

-45.19%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$51.0K NOK 483.3K

-56.10%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$216 NOK 2,043

-67.32%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$20.06 NOK 190

-29.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$38.04 NOK 360

-53.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$51.3 NOK 486

-19.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

$39.74 NOK 376

-82.99%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$14.88 NOK 141

-59.95%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$152 NOK 1,440

99.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$10.1K NOK 95.8K

47.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$71.7 NOK 679

-23.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$48.16 NOK 456

-45.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$98.0 NOK 928

-12.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$120 NOK 1,135

-41.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$1,212 NOK 11.5K

-64.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$824 NOK 7,802

-70.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$1,357 NOK 12.9K

-40.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$1,109 NOK 10.5K

-54.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$6,001 NOK 56.8K

-66.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$4,175 NOK 39.5K

-64.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

$3,236 NOK 30.7K

-80.76%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Larvik: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,212 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 420% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $103 in Larvik. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $429 – 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 162% 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,337 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 $303 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 77% 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 $848, than in Larvik at $2,225. 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 $848 versus $2,225 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.