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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,742 in Porsgrunn, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,904 in Porsgrunn, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,066 in Porsgrunn, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Porsgrunn is 100% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$21.25 NOK 197

-90.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$108 NOK 1,000

-81.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$16.19 NOK 150

-65.10%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$5.86 NOK 54.4

-69.11%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$3.62 NOK 33.65

-80.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$3.12 NOK 28.92

-89.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$11.67 NOK 108

-80.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$10.69 NOK 99.3

-66.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$2.57 NOK 23.88

-23.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$4.32 NOK 40.10

-65.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$4.60 NOK 42.72

-70.87%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$5.92 NOK 55.0

-61.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$14.91 NOK 138

9.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$15.40 NOK 143

-80.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$29.64 NOK 275

-66.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$3.43 NOK 31.89

-25.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$2.67 NOK 24.81

-60.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$3.57 NOK 33.18

-54.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$5.83 NOK 54.1

-73.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$2.73 NOK 25.37

-53.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$2.92 NOK 27.07

-63.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$3.12 NOK 28.99

-76.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$2.53 NOK 23.50

-79.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$19.32 NOK 179

-78.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$16.94 NOK 157

5.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$3.49 NOK 32.39

-51.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$4.24 NOK 39.37

-33.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

$2.74 NOK 25.45

-66.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

$50.2 NOK 466

7.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$12.44 NOK 115

-90.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$1.89 NOK 17.59

-69.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$70.6 NOK 656

-96.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$2.28 NOK 21.16

-38.16%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$49.9K NOK 463.2K

-57.02%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$46.3K NOK 429.8K

-40.96%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$421 NOK 3,912

-84.89%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$33.19 NOK 308

-61.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$57.6 NOK 534

-64.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$19.48 NOK 181

-65.40%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$250 NOK 2,318

211.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$16.0K NOK 148.6K

-8.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$101 NOK 938

-46.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$62.2 NOK 578

-59.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$134 NOK 1,244

-29.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$161 NOK 1,499

-54.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$835 NOK 7,754

-41.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

$950 NOK 8,818

-69.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$1,600 NOK 14.9K

-44.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$1,273 NOK 11.8K

-59.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.8

46.58%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Porsgrunn: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $835 in Porsgrunn. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $108 in Porsgrunn. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $515 – 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 Porsgrunn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Porsgrunn costs about 189% 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,113 in Porsgrunn. 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 $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $250 in Porsgrunn. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 114% more in Porsgrunn, 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 $947, than in Porsgrunn at $2,742. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Porsgrunn it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $2,742 in Porsgrunn. 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, Porsgrunn makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.