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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,282 in Skien, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,202 in Skien, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,122 in Skien, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$28.96 NOK 269

-93.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$101 NOK 935

-81.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$13.26 NOK 123

-41.03%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$4.88 NOK 45.35

-60.04%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$2.47 NOK 22.94

-65.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$2.19 NOK 20.38

-84.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$9.05 NOK 84.0

-76.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$9.67 NOK 89.8

-61.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.02 NOK 18.73

-15.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$3.30 NOK 30.67

-50.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$3.15 NOK 29.30

-63.81%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$4.20 NOK 39.01

-54.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.36 NOK 106

42.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$14.22 NOK 132

-78.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$25.44 NOK 236

-57.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.76 NOK 34.89

-26.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.32 NOK 21.55

-47.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$3.30 NOK 30.63

-50.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$4.02 NOK 37.36

-60.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.29 NOK 21.26

-38.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.16 NOK 20.07

-45.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$2.94 NOK 27.36

-77.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.89 NOK 17.55

-71.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$18.86 NOK 175

-75.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$15.87 NOK 147

17.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$3.33 NOK 30.97

-45.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.95 NOK 36.67

-18.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$2.69 NOK 25.02

-66.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$44.33 NOK 412

-56.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$36.08 NOK 335

-96.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.46 NOK 13.57

-11.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$99.7 NOK 926

-92.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$2.09 NOK 19.41

-39.23%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$25.7K NOK 238.9K

-17.27%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$35.8K NOK 332.2K

-37.89%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$96.6 NOK 897

-28.51%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$37.34 NOK 347

-62.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$38.51 NOK 358

-53.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$38.00 NOK 353

8.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$34.76 NOK 323

-79.98%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$14.39 NOK 134

-58.86%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$312 NOK 2,900

-4.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$10.1K NOK 93.9K

47.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$40.85 NOK 380

33.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$35.21 NOK 327

-23.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$92.8 NOK 862

-8.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$153 NOK 1,421

-53.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$961 NOK 8,931

-55.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$1,000 NOK 9,291

-76.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,101 NOK 10.2K

-27.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$902 NOK 8,381

-42.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$3,561 NOK 33.1K

-44.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$3,271 NOK 30.4K

-54.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$4,269 NOK 39.7K

-85.54%

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 Skien: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $961 in Skien. 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 591% higher in Skien, 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 $101 in Skien. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $432 – 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 Skien: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skien costs about 163% 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 $3,422 in Skien. 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 Skien. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 75% more in Skien, 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 Skien at $2,282. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skien it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $2,282 in Skien. 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, Skien makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.