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 $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,478 in Tonsberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,681 in Tonsberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,885 in Tonsberg, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 66% cheaper than Tonsberg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Tonsberg is 85% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.5

$25.36 NOK 243

-92.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿631

$102 NOK 980

-81.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿265

$13.89 NOK 133

-43.56%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿65.0

$4.79 NOK 45.97

-59.71%

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

$0.83 ฿28.05

$5.15 NOK 49.42

-83.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.82

$4.94 NOK 47.35

-92.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.9

$9.96 NOK 95.5

-77.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$9.66 NOK 92.6

-60.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$2.21 NOK 21.15

-25.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.4

$3.39 NOK 32.51

-54.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.86

$3.20 NOK 30.70

-63.13%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿68.0

$4.33 NOK 41.49

-53.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿545

$11.95 NOK 115

35.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$14.90 NOK 143

-79.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿366

$27.98 NOK 268

-61.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.4

$3.52 NOK 33.80

-23.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.21

$2.41 NOK 23.09

-49.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.9

$3.25 NOK 31.20

-49.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$4.41 NOK 42.26

-65.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.18

$2.45 NOK 23.46

-45.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.93

$2.47 NOK 23.66

-51.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.67

$2.74 NOK 26.24

-74.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.73

$1.91 NOK 18.33

-72.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$14.95 NOK 143

-68.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿598

$19.33 NOK 185

-8.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.3

$3.41 NOK 32.66

-45.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$4.13 NOK 39.62

-22.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.07

$4.18 NOK 40.06

-78.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿633

$72.3 NOK 694

-74.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.48

$10.16 NOK 97.5

-86.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.59

$1.40 NOK 13.42

-7.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿263

$47.45 NOK 455

-83.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.67

$2.10 NOK 20.14

-38.57%

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

$21.8K ฿734.7K

$34.8K NOK 334.2K

-37.54%

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

$21.7K ฿732.1K

$38.7K NOK 371.6K

-44.02%

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

$70.0 ฿2,362

$237 NOK 2,272

-70.46%

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

$14.19 ฿479

$37.87 NOK 363

-62.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿588

$54.3 NOK 521

-67.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,405

$49.98 NOK 479

-16.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿233

$35.76 NOK 343

-80.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$16.26 NOK 156

-64.45%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$285 NOK 2,734

5.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿490.1K

$10.0K NOK 96.1K

44.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,869

$96.0 NOK 921

-42.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿888

$51.9 NOK 498

-49.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,863

$110 NOK 1,052

-22.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,379

$152 NOK 1,462

-53.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.4K

$1,226 NOK 11.8K

-65.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,933

$935 NOK 8,966

-74.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.1K

$1,438 NOK 13.8K

-44.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$1,203 NOK 11.5K

-57.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿65.0K

$5,119 NOK 49.1K

-62.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿49.0K

$4,108 NOK 39.4K

-64.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

$4,407 NOK 42.3K

-86.70%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Tonsberg: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Chiang Mai versus $1,226 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 652% 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 $102 in Tonsberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $458 – 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 192% 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 $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,717 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 $300 per month in Chiang Mai and $285 in Tonsberg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 89% 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 $847, than in Tonsberg at $2,478. 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 $847 versus $2,478 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.