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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,498 in Tonsberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,682 in Tonsberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,866 in Tonsberg, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Tonsberg is 86% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.8

$25.57 NOK 242

-92.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿611

$101 NOK 955

-81.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$13.53 NOK 128

-42.20%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿64.1

$4.83 NOK 45.65

-59.63%

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

$0.85 ฿27.90

$5.42 NOK 51.2

-84.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.64

$4.97 NOK 46.94

-92.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.9

$10.21 NOK 96.5

-79.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$9.46 NOK 89.5

-60.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.2

$2.22 NOK 20.96

-22.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.4

$3.30 NOK 31.24

-50.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.32

$3.18 NOK 30.10

-64.15%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.4

$4.27 NOK 40.36

-54.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿532

$11.82 NOK 112

37.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$14.84 NOK 140

-78.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿357

$28.32 NOK 268

-61.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.4

$3.42 NOK 32.36

-19.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.70

$2.39 NOK 22.58

-49.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.2

$3.43 NOK 32.41

-52.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.1

$4.52 NOK 42.77

-64.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.91

$2.47 NOK 23.33

-43.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.34

$2.57 NOK 24.30

-54.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.70

$2.80 NOK 26.43

-76.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.30

$1.83 NOK 17.32

-71.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿154

$14.98 NOK 142

-68.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿612

$17.98 NOK 170

3.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.0

$3.45 NOK 32.66

-47.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$4.08 NOK 38.56

-20.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.39

$4.16 NOK 39.34

-78.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

$72.2 NOK 683

-73.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.13

$10.26 NOK 97.0

-86.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.31

$1.44 NOK 13.64

-10.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿257

$46.58 NOK 440

-83.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$2.09 NOK 19.79

-39.23%

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

$21.3K ฿698.1K

$36.1K NOK 341.6K

-41.11%

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

$22.2K ฿728.8K

$37.9K NOK 358.5K

-41.42%

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

$69.1 ฿2,266

$243 NOK 2,295

-71.54%

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

$14.08 ฿462

$39.09 NOK 370

-63.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿591

$55.2 NOK 522

-67.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,347

$49.50 NOK 468

-17.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

$36.01 NOK 340

-80.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿194

$16.61 NOK 157

-64.36%

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

$299 ฿9,811

$283 NOK 2,678

5.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.6K

$10.0K NOK 94.8K

49.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,795

$95.5 NOK 903

-42.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿878

$51.4 NOK 486

-47.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,788

$106 NOK 1,005

-20.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,316

$151 NOK 1,430

-53.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$1,219 NOK 11.5K

-64.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,787

$954 NOK 9,015

-75.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.3K

$1,443 NOK 13.6K

-44.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$1,222 NOK 11.6K

-57.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.8K

$5,966 NOK 56.4K

-66.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.4K

$4,341 NOK 41.0K

-66.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.3K

$4,692 NOK 44.4K

-86.84%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tonsberg: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,219 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 660% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $101 in Tonsberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $455 – 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 188% 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 $3,747 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $283 in Tonsberg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 85% 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 $866, than in Tonsberg at $2,498. 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 $866 versus $2,498 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.