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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,496 in Sarpsborg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,763 in Sarpsborg, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,030 in Sarpsborg, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 66% cheaper than Sarpsborg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Sarpsborg is 86% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$38.11 NOK 354

-94.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$95.2 NOK 885

-80.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$18.27 NOK 170

-58.95%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$5.25 NOK 48.85

-63.24%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$2.74 NOK 25.44

-71.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$2.56 NOK 23.79

-87.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$6.24 NOK 58.1

-65.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$7.89 NOK 73.4

-52.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$2.22 NOK 20.61

-22.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$3.28 NOK 30.50

-52.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$3.32 NOK 30.86

-64.46%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$4.43 NOK 41.21

-55.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$12.12 NOK 113

32.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$14.90 NOK 139

-78.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$28.08 NOK 261

-61.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$3.48 NOK 32.38

-24.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$2.48 NOK 23.07

-52.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$3.41 NOK 31.71

-51.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$4.38 NOK 40.76

-64.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$2.45 NOK 22.76

-43.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$2.54 NOK 23.62

-53.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$2.75 NOK 25.59

-76.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$1.92 NOK 17.86

-73.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$14.92 NOK 139

-69.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$19.21 NOK 179

-4.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$3.34 NOK 31.03

-46.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$4.08 NOK 37.91

-22.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$2.49 NOK 23.17

-63.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$74.4 NOK 691

-74.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$10.19 NOK 94.8

-86.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$1.39 NOK 12.92

-5.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$47.55 NOK 442

-82.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$2.03 NOK 18.89

-36.95%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$35.1K NOK 326.0K

-39.25%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$38.2K NOK 354.9K

-43.13%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$240 NOK 2,232

-71.17%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$37.83 NOK 352

-63.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$56.0 NOK 521

-67.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$49.58 NOK 461

-14.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$36.07 NOK 335

-81.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$16.71 NOK 155

-64.57%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$279 NOK 2,593

7.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$10.1K NOK 93.6K

47.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$96.6 NOK 898

-41.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$51.3 NOK 477

-47.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$108 NOK 1,003

-21.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$154 NOK 1,437

-53.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$1,222 NOK 11.4K

-64.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$904 NOK 8,404

-73.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$1,514 NOK 14.1K

-47.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$1,342 NOK 12.5K

-62.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$6,929 NOK 64.4K

-71.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$4,477 NOK 41.6K

-65.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

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 Sarpsborg: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $1,222 in Sarpsborg. 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 in Chiang Mai versus $95 in Sarpsborg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $459 – 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 Sarpsborg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sarpsborg costs about 195% 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 $3,744 in Sarpsborg. 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 $279 in Sarpsborg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 88% more in Sarpsborg, 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 Sarpsborg at $2,496. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sarpsborg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $2,496 in Sarpsborg. 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, Sarpsborg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.