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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,299 in Porsgrunn, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,541 in Porsgrunn, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,783 in Porsgrunn, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Porsgrunn is 72% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$28.55 NOK 275

-93.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$101 NOK 977

-81.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$13.18 NOK 127

-43.25%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$4.95 NOK 47.72

-59.19%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$2.00 NOK 19.27

-57.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$2.06 NOK 19.85

-82.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$8.98 NOK 86.6

-76.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$9.67 NOK 93.3

-62.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$2.05 NOK 19.72

-19.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$3.42 NOK 32.98

-54.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$3.32 NOK 32.04

-64.16%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.47 NOK 23.80

-21.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$10.29 NOK 99.2

57.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$10.07 NOK 97.1

-70.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$34.84 NOK 336

-68.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.00 NOK 19.29

35.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.67 NOK 16.09

-29.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$2.49 NOK 23.99

-32.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.80 NOK 27.01

-42.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.03 NOK 9.91

33.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$2.13 NOK 20.51

-43.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$2.35 NOK 22.70

-71.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$1.90 NOK 18.30

-70.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$14.21 NOK 137

-67.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$18.13 NOK 175

-2.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$2.99 NOK 28.79

-37.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$4.00 NOK 38.59

-17.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$3.37 NOK 32.47

-73.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$72.9 NOK 703

-73.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$10.05 NOK 97.0

-86.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$1.46 NOK 14.04

-8.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$99.3 NOK 958

-91.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.99 NOK 19.17

-38.69%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$35.6K NOK 343.5K

-40.05%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$38.6K NOK 371.9K

-41.59%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$220 NOK 2,117

-67.81%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$44.23 NOK 426

-68.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$37.49 NOK 362

-53.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$48.48 NOK 467

-13.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$35.12 NOK 339

-80.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$14.71 NOK 142

-59.76%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$312 NOK 3,010

-1.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$10.1K NOK 97.0K

47.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$51.5 NOK 496

8.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$29.93 NOK 289

-12.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$69.5 NOK 671

19.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$103 NOK 994

-31.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$1,228 NOK 11.8K

-64.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$884 NOK 8,529

-72.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$1,856 NOK 17.9K

-55.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$1,516 NOK 14.6K

-66.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Porsgrunn: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $1,228 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $101 in Porsgrunn. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $406 – 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 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,448 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 $309 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 67% 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 $861, than in Porsgrunn at $2,299. 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 $861 versus $2,299 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.