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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,274 in Porsgrunn, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,550 in Porsgrunn, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,827 in Porsgrunn, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Porsgrunn is 70% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$28.72 NOK 267

-93.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$102 NOK 946

-81.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$13.57 NOK 126

-42.37%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$4.83 NOK 44.98

-59.63%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$2.05 NOK 19.10

-58.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$2.06 NOK 19.14

-83.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$8.86 NOK 82.5

-75.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$9.68 NOK 90.1

-61.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.06 NOK 19.21

-16.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$3.43 NOK 31.93

-52.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$3.20 NOK 29.82

-64.38%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$2.48 NOK 23.07

-22.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$10.29 NOK 95.8

57.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$10.20 NOK 94.9

-69.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$35.45 NOK 330

-69.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.01 NOK 18.71

36.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.65 NOK 15.39

-26.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.45 NOK 22.85

-33.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$2.86 NOK 26.63

-44.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$1.03 NOK 9.62

35.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$2.22 NOK 20.65

-47.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$2.31 NOK 21.47

-71.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$1.83 NOK 17.01

-71.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$14.31 NOK 133

-67.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$19.06 NOK 177

-2.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.96 NOK 27.52

-39.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.96 NOK 36.82

-18.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$3.39 NOK 31.54

-73.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$72.6 NOK 676

-73.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$10.04 NOK 93.5

-85.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$1.45 NOK 13.54

-11.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$101 NOK 943

-92.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$2.00 NOK 18.60

-36.50%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$35.8K NOK 333.0K

-40.53%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$38.0K NOK 353.4K

-41.49%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$223 NOK 2,072

-68.97%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$43.15 NOK 402

-67.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$38.10 NOK 355

-52.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$49.78 NOK 463

-17.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$35.51 NOK 331

-80.40%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$14.80 NOK 138

-60.00%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$312 NOK 2,904

-4.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$10.3K NOK 95.5K

45.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$50.3 NOK 468

8.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$29.87 NOK 278

-10.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$69.7 NOK 649

21.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$102 NOK 951

-30.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$1,219 NOK 11.3K

-64.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$909 NOK 8,467

-73.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,840 NOK 17.1K

-56.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$1,546 NOK 14.4K

-66.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$3,571 NOK 33.2K

-82.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

31.58%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Porsgrunn: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,219 in Porsgrunn. 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 478% higher in Porsgrunn, 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 $102 in Porsgrunn. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $409 – 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 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,410 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $312 in Porsgrunn. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 66% 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 $866, than in Porsgrunn at $2,274. 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 $866 versus $2,274 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.