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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,347 in Skien, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,223 in Skien, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,098 in Skien, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Skien is 76% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$28.93 NOK 279

-93.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$99.7 NOK 961

-81.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$13.15 NOK 127

-43.12%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$4.94 NOK 47.68

-59.11%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$2.52 NOK 24.31

-66.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$2.23 NOK 21.50

-83.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$9.22 NOK 88.9

-76.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$9.88 NOK 95.2

-63.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.94 NOK 18.68

-14.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$3.41 NOK 32.91

-53.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$3.33 NOK 32.11

-64.26%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$4.22 NOK 40.65

-54.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$11.58 NOK 112

39.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$14.14 NOK 136

-78.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$25.44 NOK 245

-57.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.75 NOK 36.15

-27.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$2.26 NOK 21.76

-48.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$3.27 NOK 31.49

-48.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$4.02 NOK 38.77

-60.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$2.22 NOK 21.44

-37.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$2.12 NOK 20.42

-43.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$3.00 NOK 28.90

-77.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$1.89 NOK 18.26

-70.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$19.24 NOK 185

-75.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$15.31 NOK 148

15.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$3.29 NOK 31.75

-43.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$3.86 NOK 37.21

-14.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$2.67 NOK 25.76

-67.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$43.34 NOK 418

-55.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$35.68 NOK 344

-96.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$1.45 NOK 13.93

-7.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$100 NOK 967

-91.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$2.18 NOK 21.01

-44.04%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$25.6K NOK 247.1K

-16.66%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$35.6K NOK 343.7K

-36.79%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$98.7 NOK 951

-28.36%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$38.06 NOK 367

-63.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$38.32 NOK 370

-54.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$37.33 NOK 360

12.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$35.73 NOK 345

-80.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$13.95 NOK 135

-57.56%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$307 NOK 2,957

0.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$10.2K NOK 98.4K

45.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$39.71 NOK 383

40.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$35.38 NOK 341

-26.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$90.2 NOK 869

-7.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$152 NOK 1,464

-53.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$971 NOK 9,366

-55.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$976 NOK 9,407

-75.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$1,122 NOK 10.8K

-26.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$914 NOK 8,817

-44.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$3,335 NOK 32.2K

-42.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$3,041 NOK 29.3K

-51.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$4,036 NOK 38.9K

-85.64%

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 Skien: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $971 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 597% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $100 in Skien. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $431 – 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 173% 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 $3,520 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $307 in Skien. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 77% 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 $861, than in Skien at $2,347. 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 $861 versus $2,347 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.