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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,499 per month in Karmøy vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,768 per month in Karmøy vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,036 per month in Karmøy vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Karmøy costs about 193% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Karmøy sits 88% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.43 NOK 241

$2.04 ฿68.2

1146.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 NOK 976

$18.71 ฿624

450.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.93 NOK 132

$7.86 ฿262

77.23%

Cappuccino

$4.86 NOK 46.08

$2.03 ฿67.7

139.41%

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

$3.13 NOK 29.72

$0.80 ฿26.64

291.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 NOK 26.98

$0.35 ฿11.68

714.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.28 NOK 97.5

$2.14 ฿71.5

380.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.47 NOK 89.8

$3.67 ฿122

158.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 NOK 21.46

$1.73 ฿57.6

30.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 NOK 32.67

$1.57 ฿52.4

119.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 NOK 30.34

$1.20 ฿39.99

166.67%

Eggs

$4.52 NOK 42.89

$1.97 ฿65.8

129.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.19 NOK 116

$16.23 ฿541

-24.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.95 NOK 142

$3.06 ฿102

388.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.00 NOK 265

$10.80 ฿360

159.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 NOK 33.50

$2.77 ฿92.3

27.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 NOK 23.33

$1.17 ฿38.94

110.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 NOK 30.81

$1.71 ฿57.0

90.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.57 NOK 43.38

$1.59 ฿53.2

187.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 NOK 22.65

$1.39 ฿46.51

71.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 NOK 23.29

$1.16 ฿38.56

112.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 NOK 25.98

$0.66 ฿22.05

315.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 NOK 18.06

$0.52 ฿17.31

265.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.97 NOK 133

$4.65 ฿155

200.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.55 NOK 166

$17.78 ฿593

-1.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.42 NOK 32.40

$1.79 ฿59.6

91.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 NOK 38.24

$3.34 ฿111

20.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.31 NOK 40.86

$0.91 ฿30.27

373.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.2 NOK 704

$18.64 ฿622

298.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.22 NOK 96.9

$1.41 ฿47.04

624.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 NOK 13.71

$1.34 ฿44.70

8.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.92 NOK 445

$8.11 ฿270

478.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 NOK 19.62

$1.23 ฿41.16

68.29%

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

$35.5K NOK 337.1K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

65.83%

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

$38.8K NOK 367.9K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

77.76%

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

$242 NOK 2,297

$71.3 ฿2,379

239.56%

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

$37.68 NOK 357

$14.01 ฿467

168.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 NOK 532

$17.93 ฿598

212.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.40 NOK 468

$40.82 ฿1,362

21.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.91 NOK 340

$6.88 ฿230

421.95%

Cinema Ticket

$16.44 NOK 156

$5.72 ฿191

187.41%

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

$279 NOK 2,649

$308 ฿10.3K

-9.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K NOK 96.9K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-30.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.7 NOK 927

$55.8 ฿1,860

75.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.5 NOK 488

$26.04 ฿869

97.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 NOK 1,014

$84.8 ฿2,829

26.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 NOK 1,427

$71.0 ฿2,368

112.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 NOK 11.4K

$423 ฿14.1K

185.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$897 NOK 8,508

$242 ฿8,088

270.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,799 NOK 17.1K

$797 ฿26.6K

125.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,540 NOK 14.6K

$507 ฿16.9K

203.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,079 NOK 57.6K

$1,918 ฿64.0K

216.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,014 NOK 38.1K

$1,464 ฿48.8K

174.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,958 NOK 37.5K

$595 ฿19.9K

565.08%

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 Karmøy: July 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,207 in Karmøy versus $423 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 565% higher in Karmøy, 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 $103 in Karmøy versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $458 vs $244 – 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

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

Karmøy costs about 193% 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 $3,748 per month in Karmøy and $1,279 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 $279 per month in Karmøy and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 87% more in Karmøy, 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 Karmøy at $2,499. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Karmøy it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $2,499 in Karmøy. 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, Karmøy makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.