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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,682 per month in Fredrikstad vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,010 per month in Fredrikstad vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,338 per month in Fredrikstad vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Fredrikstad costs about 211% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Fredrikstad sits 101% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.97 NOK 173

$1.96 ฿65.7

816.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$114 NOK 1,093

$18.35 ฿616

518.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.91 NOK 115

$7.48 ฿251

59.22%

Cappuccino

$5.34 NOK 51.4

$2.02 ฿67.7

164.36%

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

$3.97 NOK 38.21

$0.85 ฿28.45

367.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 NOK 26.44

$0.36 ฿11.94

661.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.01 NOK 106

$2.14 ฿71.7

414.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.29 NOK 99.1

$3.59 ฿121

186.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 NOK 21.07

$1.65 ฿55.4

32.73%

White Bread (500g)

$4.25 NOK 40.97

$1.57 ฿52.6

170.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.27 NOK 31.50

$1.19 ฿39.95

174.79%

Eggs

$5.22 NOK 50.3

$1.94 ฿65.0

169.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.78 NOK 113

$16.19 ฿544

-27.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.02 NOK 154

$2.99 ฿100

435.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.17 NOK 329

$10.94 ฿367

212.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 NOK 43.45

$2.71 ฿91.0

66.42%

Banana (1kg)

$3.52 NOK 33.91

$1.17 ฿39.18

200.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.50 NOK 43.34

$1.69 ฿56.6

166.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 NOK 48.57

$1.60 ฿53.9

215.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 NOK 26.49

$1.38 ฿46.45

99.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 NOK 25.61

$1.20 ฿40.38

121.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 NOK 25.47

$0.67 ฿22.46

294.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 NOK 17.79

$0.56 ฿18.70

230.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.87 NOK 143

$4.64 ฿156

220.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.86 NOK 211

$17.62 ฿591

24.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.43 NOK 33.00

$1.86 ฿62.4

84.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 NOK 58.9

$3.30 ฿111

85.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.87 NOK 37.30

$0.88 ฿29.63

339.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.7 NOK 613

$19.34 ฿649

229.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 NOK 59.9

$1.36 ฿45.82

357.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 NOK 14.02

$1.34 ฿44.90

8.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.3 NOK 503

$8.21 ฿276

536.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.90

$1.22 ฿41.11

86.07%

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

$35.1K NOK 337.9K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

64.31%

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

$39.1K NOK 376.6K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

73.52%

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

$339 NOK 3,268

$70.7 ฿2,372

380.08%

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

$37.93 NOK 365

$14.04 ฿471

170.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 NOK 549

$17.49 ฿587

226.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.85 NOK 470

$42.15 ฿1,415

15.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.15 NOK 377

$6.88 ฿231

469.04%

Cinema Ticket

$22.16 NOK 213

$5.92 ฿199

274.32%

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

$284 NOK 2,734

$309 ฿10.4K

-8.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K NOK 98.2K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-31.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$154 NOK 1,483

$55.8 ฿1,872

176.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.2 NOK 580

$26.11 ฿877

130.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$166 NOK 1,604

$83.0 ฿2,787

100.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 NOK 1,278

$70.5 ฿2,365

88.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 NOK 12.2K

$432 ฿14.5K

193.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$943 NOK 9,086

$239 ฿8,020

294.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,100 NOK 20.2K

$822 ฿27.6K

155.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,541 NOK 14.8K

$512 ฿17.2K

200.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,874 NOK 56.6K

$1,915 ฿64.3K

206.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,915 NOK 37.7K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

166.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,227 NOK 31.1K

$579 ฿19.4K

456.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

-15.00%

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

Last update for Fredrikstad: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,266 in Fredrikstad 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 457% higher in Fredrikstad, 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 $114 in Fredrikstad versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $523 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

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

Fredrikstad costs about 211% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,023 per month in Fredrikstad 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 $284 per month in Fredrikstad 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 115% more in Fredrikstad, 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 Fredrikstad at $2,682. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fredrikstad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $2,682 in Fredrikstad. 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, Fredrikstad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.