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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,390 per month in Grimstad vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,520 per month in Grimstad vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,651 per month in Grimstad vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Grimstad costs about 180% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Grimstad sits 79% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.99 NOK 214

$1.96 ฿63.6

1072.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.1 NOK 477

$18.81 ฿611

171.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.93 NOK 139

$7.92 ฿258

88.51%

Cappuccino

$4.54 NOK 42.29

$1.91 ฿62.2

137.70%

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

$3.99 NOK 37.19

$0.84 ฿27.25

375.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 NOK 30.85

$0.35 ฿11.44

845.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.23 NOK 114

$2.21 ฿71.7

453.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.31 NOK 96.1

$3.80 ฿124

171.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 NOK 21.37

$1.64 ฿53.2

39.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 NOK 29.00

$1.62 ฿52.8

91.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 NOK 28.00

$1.18 ฿38.40

154.24%

Eggs

$3.26 NOK 30.37

$2.01 ฿65.4

62.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.73 NOK 100

$15.89 ฿517

-32.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.41 NOK 125

$3.01 ฿98.0

345.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.37 NOK 153

$10.77 ฿350

52.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 NOK 19.37

$2.61 ฿85.0

-20.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 NOK 20.68

$1.22 ฿39.65

81.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 NOK 31.30

$1.70 ฿55.4

97.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 NOK 37.46

$1.58 ฿51.2

154.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 NOK 23.44

$1.32 ฿42.89

90.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 NOK 24.27

$1.17 ฿38.01

122.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 NOK 26.77

$0.67 ฿21.85

328.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 NOK 16.37

$0.56 ฿18.21

214.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.29 NOK 161

$4.53 ฿147

281.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.07 NOK 150

$18.20 ฿592

-11.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.53 NOK 32.91

$1.83 ฿59.6

92.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 NOK 40.11

$3.23 ฿105

33.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.95 NOK 46.17

$0.89 ฿28.83

456.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 NOK 722

$19.38 ฿630

299.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.04 NOK 93.6

$1.35 ฿43.95

643.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 NOK 12.90

$1.35 ฿43.79

2.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.93 NOK 391

$8.25 ฿268

408.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 NOK 20.48

$1.27 ฿41.40

73.23%

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

$36.6K NOK 341.3K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

73.09%

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

$42.2K NOK 392.9K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

87.46%

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

$301 NOK 2,809

$70.2 ฿2,281

329.69%

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

$27.46 NOK 256

$13.77 ฿448

99.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 NOK 524

$17.60 ฿572

219.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.47 NOK 452

$41.57 ฿1,352

16.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.24 NOK 328

$6.60 ฿215

433.94%

Cinema Ticket

$15.20 NOK 142

$5.78 ฿188

162.98%

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

$273 NOK 2,545

$306 ฿9,953

-10.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K NOK 139.3K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

0.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 NOK 473

$54.4 ฿1,768

-6.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 NOK 563

$26.14 ฿850

131.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 NOK 937

$84.5 ฿2,748

18.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$167 NOK 1,557

$69.4 ฿2,257

140.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 NOK 11.3K

$424 ฿13.8K

186.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$905 NOK 8,437

$238 ฿7,743

280.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,789 NOK 16.7K

$825 ฿26.8K

116.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,551 NOK 14.5K

$515 ฿16.7K

201.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,492 NOK 41.9K

$635 ฿20.6K

607.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.9

-2.00%

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

Last update for Grimstad: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,215 in Grimstad versus $424 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 607% higher in Grimstad, 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 $51.0 in Grimstad versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $388 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

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

Grimstad costs about 180% 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 $3,585 per month in Grimstad and $1,278 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 $273 per month in Grimstad and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 60% more in Grimstad, 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 $852, than in Grimstad at $2,390. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Grimstad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $2,390 in Grimstad. 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, Grimstad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.