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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,843 per month in Holmestrand vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,373 per month in Holmestrand vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,903 per month in Holmestrand vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Holmestrand costs about 199% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Holmestrand sits 106% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.68 NOK 201

$2.10 ฿69.3

932.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$130 NOK 1,203

$19.84 ฿656

553.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.34 NOK 152

$5.79 ฿191

182.21%

Cappuccino

$5.91 NOK 54.8

$1.83 ฿60.4

222.95%

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

$4.23 NOK 39.27

$0.78 ฿25.61

442.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 NOK 31.21

$0.31 ฿10.37

983.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.75 NOK 109

$2.34 ฿77.2

402.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.11 NOK 122

$3.70 ฿122

254.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.66 NOK 24.69

$2.03 ฿67.1

31.03%

White Bread (500g)

$4.16 NOK 38.60

$1.60 ฿52.7

160.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.66 NOK 43.25

$1.42 ฿46.75

228.17%

Eggs

$6.17 NOK 57.3

$2.18 ฿71.9

183.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.72 NOK 137

$15.91 ฿526

-7.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.47 NOK 144

$3.07 ฿102

403.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.67 NOK 285

$9.87 ฿326

210.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 NOK 30.72

$2.63 ฿86.8

25.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 NOK 24.85

$1.10 ฿36.19

143.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 NOK 33.84

$1.63 ฿53.8

123.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.18 NOK 57.3

$1.53 ฿50.6

303.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 NOK 24.32

$1.24 ฿41.13

111.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 NOK 26.44

$1.13 ฿37.37

152.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.14 NOK 29.13

$0.74 ฿24.38

324.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 NOK 23.28

$0.50 ฿16.48

402.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.52 NOK 181

$4.28 ฿141

356.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.62 NOK 154

$17.97 ฿594

-7.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.49 NOK 32.41

$1.70 ฿56.1

105.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 NOK 40.60

$2.90 ฿95.7

51.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.84 NOK 44.94

$0.94 ฿31.13

414.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.3 NOK 791

$55.3 ฿1,827

54.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.18 NOK 113

$1.23 ฿40.76

890.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 NOK 17.87

$0.53 ฿17.66

264.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.4 NOK 671

$2.40 ฿79.3

2915.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 NOK 20.79

$1.44 ฿47.55

55.56%

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

$49.1K NOK 455.6K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

131.75%

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

$45.0K NOK 417.5K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

64.83%

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

$423 NOK 3,920

$64.9 ฿2,145

550.81%

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

$32.30 NOK 300

$13.35 ฿441

141.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.9 NOK 528

$20.83 ฿688

173.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 NOK 470

$40.42 ฿1,336

25.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.04 NOK 353

$3.95 ฿131

863.04%

Cinema Ticket

$19.34 NOK 179

$6.71 ฿222

188.23%

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

$247 NOK 2,288

$787 ฿26.0K

-68.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K NOK 149.4K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

6.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 NOK 950

$56.2 ฿1,858

82.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 NOK 582

$24.95 ฿824

151.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 NOK 1,256

$92.7 ฿3,063

46.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 NOK 1,480

$75.1 ฿2,482

112.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,229 NOK 11.4K

$484 ฿16.0K

154.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,053 NOK 9,764

$287 ฿9,491

266.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 NOK 19.1K

$910 ฿30.1K

126.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,724 NOK 16.0K

$531 ฿17.5K

224.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,541 NOK 60.7K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

230.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,202 NOK 39.0K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

189.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.96

5.57

-10.95%

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

Last update for Holmestrand: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,229 in Holmestrand versus $484 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $130 in Holmestrand versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $519 vs $242 – 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

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

Holmestrand costs about 199% 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 $4,265 per month in Holmestrand and $1,426 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 $247 per month in Holmestrand and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 114% more in Holmestrand, 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 $950, than in Holmestrand at $2,843. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Holmestrand it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $2,843 in Holmestrand. 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, Holmestrand makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.