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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,212 per month in Drammen vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,324 per month in Drammen vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,437 per month in Drammen vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Drammen costs about 157% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Drammen sits 66% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 NOK 199

$1.96 ฿65.7

952.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.8 NOK 720

$18.35 ฿616

307.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.18 NOK 127

$7.48 ฿251

76.20%

Cappuccino

$4.73 NOK 45.58

$2.02 ฿67.7

134.16%

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

$2.45 NOK 23.61

$0.85 ฿28.45

188.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 NOK 25.77

$0.36 ฿11.94

644.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.14 NOK 78.4

$2.14 ฿71.7

280.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.23 NOK 60.0

$3.59 ฿121

73.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 NOK 20.29

$1.65 ฿55.4

27.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 NOK 30.13

$1.57 ฿52.6

99.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 NOK 31.96

$1.19 ฿39.95

178.99%

Eggs

$4.19 NOK 40.36

$1.94 ฿65.0

115.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 NOK 108

$16.19 ฿544

-30.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.19 NOK 127

$2.99 ฿100

341.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.36 NOK 167

$10.94 ฿367

58.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 NOK 18.79

$2.71 ฿91.0

-28.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 NOK 21.73

$1.17 ฿39.18

93.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 NOK 31.67

$1.69 ฿56.6

94.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.79 NOK 36.47

$1.60 ฿53.9

136.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 NOK 22.20

$1.38 ฿46.45

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 NOK 12.89

$1.20 ฿40.38

11.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 NOK 17.21

$0.67 ฿22.46

167.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NOK 17.67

$0.56 ฿18.70

226.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.30 NOK 138

$4.64 ฿156

208.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.44 NOK 120

$17.62 ฿591

-29.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 NOK 28.26

$1.86 ฿62.4

57.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 NOK 39.32

$3.30 ฿111

23.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.83 NOK 27.23

$0.88 ฿29.63

221.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.5 NOK 736

$19.34 ฿649

295.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.25 NOK 98.7

$1.36 ฿45.82

653.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 NOK 11.71

$1.34 ฿44.90

-8.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$99.6 NOK 959

$8.21 ฿276

1112.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 NOK 20.81

$1.22 ฿41.11

77.05%

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

$41.1K NOK 395.6K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

92.36%

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

$39.1K NOK 376.7K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

73.57%

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

$218 NOK 2,101

$70.7 ฿2,372

208.58%

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

$43.27 NOK 417

$14.04 ฿471

208.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.61 NOK 362

$17.49 ฿587

115.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.5 NOK 814

$42.15 ฿1,415

100.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.41 NOK 341

$6.88 ฿231

414.68%

Cinema Ticket

$15.17 NOK 146

$5.92 ฿199

156.25%

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

$302 NOK 2,906

$309 ฿10.4K

-2.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K NOK 97.5K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-31.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.2 NOK 936

$55.8 ฿1,872

74.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.93 NOK 240

$26.11 ฿877

-4.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 NOK 970

$83.0 ฿2,787

21.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 NOK 1,390

$70.5 ฿2,365

104.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$942 NOK 9,070

$432 ฿14.5K

117.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$769 NOK 7,407

$239 ฿8,020

221.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,460 NOK 14.1K

$822 ฿27.6K

77.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 NOK 13.2K

$512 ฿17.2K

166.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.3K NOK 99.5K

$1,915 ฿64.3K

439.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,145 NOK 59.2K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

318.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,527 NOK 34.0K

$579 ฿19.4K

508.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

-12.40%

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

Last update for Drammen: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $942 in Drammen versus $432 in Chiang Mai. 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 509% higher in Drammen, 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 $75.0 in Drammen versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $376 vs $243 – 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

Drammen vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Drammen costs about 157% 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 $3,318 per month in Drammen and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. 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 $302 per month in Drammen and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% more in Drammen, 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 Drammen at $2,212. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Drammen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $2,212 in Drammen. 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, Drammen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.