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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,702 in Tonsberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,937 in Tonsberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,172 in Tonsberg, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 65% cheaper than Tonsberg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Tonsberg is 97% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$20.99 NOK 195

-90.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$107 NOK 997

-81.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$15.96 NOK 148

-64.60%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$5.55 NOK 51.6

-67.39%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$5.73 NOK 53.3

-87.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$5.43 NOK 50.5

-94.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$11.96 NOK 111

-81.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$10.77 NOK 100

-66.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$2.28 NOK 21.21

-14.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$3.58 NOK 33.33

-58.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$4.42 NOK 41.17

-69.68%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$4.87 NOK 45.36

-53.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$11.56 NOK 108

40.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$15.09 NOK 140

-80.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$33.62 NOK 313

-70.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$3.03 NOK 28.19

-15.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$2.35 NOK 21.87

-54.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$3.05 NOK 28.39

-47.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$5.70 NOK 53.0

-73.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$2.55 NOK 23.76

-50.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$2.87 NOK 26.73

-62.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$3.02 NOK 28.14

-76.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$2.08 NOK 19.40

-75.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$16.36 NOK 152

-74.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$19.07 NOK 177

-6.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$3.70 NOK 34.44

-54.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$4.10 NOK 38.15

-30.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$4.92 NOK 45.82

-81.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

$84.9 NOK 790

-36.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$10.44 NOK 97.1

-88.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$1.75 NOK 16.28

-66.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$77.6 NOK 722

-96.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$2.63 NOK 24.45

-46.39%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$46.2K NOK 430.4K

-53.63%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$40.9K NOK 381.0K

-33.24%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$278 NOK 2,584

-77.07%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$32.56 NOK 303

-60.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$55.9 NOK 520

-63.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$48.71 NOK 453

-20.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$42.76 NOK 398

-90.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$18.06 NOK 168

-62.68%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$233 NOK 2,170

233.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$11.5K NOK 107.2K

26.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$90.0 NOK 837

-39.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$62.5 NOK 582

-59.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$144 NOK 1,338

-34.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$144 NOK 1,341

-49.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$1,239 NOK 11.5K

-60.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$995 NOK 9,258

-70.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$1,511 NOK 14.1K

-40.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$1,285 NOK 12.0K

-59.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$6,490 NOK 60.4K

-69.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$4,779 NOK 44.5K

-69.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$4,667 NOK 43.4K

-87.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.96

12.30%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Tonsberg: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $1,239 in Tonsberg. 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 675% higher in Tonsberg, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $107 in Tonsberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $492 – 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 Tonsberg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tonsberg costs about 185% 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,053 in Tonsberg. 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 $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $233 in Tonsberg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 105% more in Tonsberg, 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 $947, than in Tonsberg at $2,702. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tonsberg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $2,702 in Tonsberg. 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, Tonsberg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.