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 $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,257 in Larvik, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,378 in Larvik, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,498 in Larvik, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 63% cheaper than Larvik, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Larvik is 68% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$28.92 NOK 269

-93.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$99.4 NOK 925

-81.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$13.21 NOK 123

-43.22%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$5.00 NOK 46.47

-61.40%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$2.53 NOK 23.55

-69.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$2.22 NOK 20.68

-85.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$9.33 NOK 86.8

-76.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$9.81 NOK 91.2

-62.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$2.09 NOK 19.40

-18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$3.31 NOK 30.74

-52.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.55 NOK 14.45

-23.87%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$3.56 NOK 33.09

-44.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$11.55 NOK 107

38.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$14.22 NOK 132

-77.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$30.85 NOK 287

-64.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$3.07 NOK 28.56

-14.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$2.26 NOK 21.03

-48.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$2.48 NOK 23.06

-33.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$4.19 NOK 38.99

-63.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$2.29 NOK 21.34

-39.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$2.15 NOK 20.03

-45.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$2.52 NOK 23.39

-73.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$1.56 NOK 14.51

-67.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$14.32 NOK 133

-68.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$17.99 NOK 167

1.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$3.30 NOK 30.67

-45.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$4.08 NOK 37.92

-22.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$4.17 NOK 38.78

-78.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$60.8 NOK 565

-68.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$8.94 NOK 83.2

-84.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$1.32 NOK 12.24

-0.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$102 NOK 952

-92.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$2.13 NOK 19.77

-39.91%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$41.1K NOK 382.6K

-48.24%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$50.7K NOK 471.7K

-57.21%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$222 NOK 2,060

-68.76%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$20.38 NOK 190

-31.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$37.61 NOK 350

-52.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$51.0 NOK 474

-17.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$39.79 NOK 370

-83.26%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$15.22 NOK 142

-61.10%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$150 NOK 1,397

99.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$10.0K NOK 93.1K

48.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$72.2 NOK 671

-22.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$47.26 NOK 440

-43.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$99.4 NOK 924

-14.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$121 NOK 1,125

-40.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$1,216 NOK 11.3K

-64.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$800 NOK 7,437

-70.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$1,391 NOK 12.9K

-42.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$1,129 NOK 10.5K

-55.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$6,113 NOK 56.9K

-67.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$4,624 NOK 43.0K

-66.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$3,272 NOK 30.4K

-80.80%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Larvik: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $1,216 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 421% 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 in Chiang Mai versus $99 in Larvik. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $433 – 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 167% 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,386 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $150 in Larvik. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 78% 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 $845, than in Larvik at $2,257. 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 $845 versus $2,257 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.