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 $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,542 in Tonsberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,649 in Tonsberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,756 in Tonsberg, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 67% cheaper than Tonsberg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Tonsberg is 90% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$25.74 NOK 239

-92.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$101 NOK 940

-81.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$13.93 NOK 130

-46.16%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$4.88 NOK 45.42

-60.45%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$5.42 NOK 50.4

-85.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$4.99 NOK 46.45

-93.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$10.14 NOK 94.3

-78.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$9.39 NOK 87.4

-60.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$2.28 NOK 21.18

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$3.26 NOK 30.33

-52.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$3.30 NOK 30.71

-64.24%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$4.27 NOK 39.74

-53.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$12.26 NOK 114

30.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$14.50 NOK 135

-78.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$28.42 NOK 264

-61.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$3.61 NOK 33.55

-27.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$2.45 NOK 22.83

-52.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$3.28 NOK 30.46

-49.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$4.43 NOK 41.20

-65.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$2.39 NOK 22.21

-42.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$2.55 NOK 23.69

-54.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$2.88 NOK 26.75

-77.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$1.86 NOK 17.28

-72.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$15.24 NOK 142

-70.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$16.36 NOK 152

11.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$3.35 NOK 31.15

-46.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$4.16 NOK 38.65

-23.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$4.29 NOK 39.88

-79.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$73.0 NOK 679

-73.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$10.28 NOK 95.6

-86.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$1.40 NOK 12.97

-6.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$47.03 NOK 437

-82.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.98 NOK 18.41

-35.35%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$35.1K NOK 326.8K

-39.40%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$38.4K NOK 356.7K

-43.42%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$239 NOK 2,226

-71.09%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$38.05 NOK 354

-63.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$55.8 NOK 519

-67.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$49.84 NOK 464

-15.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$35.95 NOK 334

-81.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$16.68 NOK 155

-64.51%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$286 NOK 2,659

4.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$9,999 NOK 93.0K

48.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$94.9 NOK 882

-40.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$52.7 NOK 490

-48.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$108 NOK 1,005

-21.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$152 NOK 1,413

-52.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$1,210 NOK 11.3K

-64.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$924 NOK 8,595

-74.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$1,426 NOK 13.3K

-44.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$1,224 NOK 11.4K

-59.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$5,488 NOK 51.0K

-63.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$4,639 NOK 43.1K

-66.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$4,643 NOK 43.2K

-86.47%

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 Tonsberg: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $1,210 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 639% 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $101 in Tonsberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $452 – 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 201% 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 $3,813 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 $286 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 $845, than in Tonsberg at $2,542. 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 $845 versus $2,542 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.