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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,690 per month in Kongsberg vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,006 per month in Kongsberg vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,323 per month in Kongsberg vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kongsberg costs about 189% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Kongsberg sits 97% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.13 NOK 199

$2.08 ฿69.2

915.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 NOK 697

$19.61 ฿652

277.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.39 NOK 154

$5.67 ฿189

189.07%

Cappuccino

$5.30 NOK 49.92

$1.81 ฿60.0

192.82%

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

$4.09 NOK 38.50

$0.77 ฿25.55

431.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 NOK 32.05

$0.35 ฿11.48

871.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.78 NOK 111

$2.21 ฿73.6

433.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.66 NOK 100

$3.79 ฿126

181.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 NOK 24.85

$2.05 ฿68.1

28.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 NOK 29.94

$1.51 ฿50.4

110.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.71 NOK 44.38

$1.40 ฿46.51

236.43%

Eggs

$5.10 NOK 48.08

$2.26 ฿75.1

125.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.08 NOK 104

$16.19 ฿538

-31.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.49 NOK 118

$2.90 ฿96.3

330.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 NOK 177

$9.42 ฿313

99.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 NOK 31.01

$2.68 ฿89.1

22.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 NOK 25.06

$1.09 ฿36.23

144.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 NOK 33.29

$1.62 ฿53.8

117.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.93 NOK 46.41

$1.46 ฿48.55

237.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 NOK 25.37

$1.28 ฿42.48

110.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 NOK 23.91

$1.06 ฿35.17

139.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 NOK 28.94

$0.72 ฿23.85

326.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 NOK 23.17

$0.53 ฿17.49

364.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.05 NOK 170

$4.23 ฿141

326.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.19 NOK 153

$18.29 ฿608

-11.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.50 NOK 32.98

$1.63 ฿54.2

114.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 NOK 37.57

$2.90 ฿96.5

37.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.18 NOK 29.95

$0.88 ฿29.20

261.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.1 NOK 906

$53.8 ฿1,788

78.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.44 NOK 117

$1.17 ฿38.99

963.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NOK 17.40

$0.58 ฿19.22

218.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.91 NOK 301

$2.39 ฿79.3

1235.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.34 NOK 22.07

$1.45 ฿48.22

61.38%

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

$48.9K NOK 460.8K

$21.0K ฿698.6K

132.81%

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

$44.8K NOK 421.9K

$26.4K ฿878.6K

69.47%

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

$323 NOK 3,045

$63.7 ฿2,116

407.82%

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

$28.89 NOK 272

$12.89 ฿429

124.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 NOK 530

$20.52 ฿682

174.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.47 NOK 447

$39.02 ฿1,297

21.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.7 NOK 534

$3.92 ฿130

1345.66%

Cinema Ticket

$19.37 NOK 182

$6.58 ฿219

194.38%

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

$250 NOK 2,355

$784 ฿26.1K

-68.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,926 NOK 37.0K

$14.7K ฿487.9K

-73.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 NOK 890

$55.1 ฿1,833

71.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 NOK 529

$24.74 ฿823

126.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 NOK 1,275

$94.1 ฿3,130

43.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 NOK 1,489

$74.0 ฿2,459

113.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,088 NOK 10.2K

$490 ฿16.3K

121.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 NOK 9,970

$288 ฿9,582

267.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,046 NOK 19.3K

$891 ฿29.6K

129.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 NOK 16.1K

$521 ฿17.3K

228.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,368 NOK 60.0K

$1,974 ฿65.6K

222.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,275 NOK 40.3K

$1,444 ฿48.0K

195.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,695 NOK 34.8K

$602 ฿20.0K

514.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.98

5.57

-10.59%

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

Last update for Kongsberg: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,088 in Kongsberg versus $490 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 514% higher in Kongsberg, 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 $74.0 in Kongsberg versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $433 vs $241 – 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

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

Kongsberg costs about 189% 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 $4,035 per month in Kongsberg and $1,398 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 $250 per month in Kongsberg and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 80% more in Kongsberg, 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 $932, than in Kongsberg at $2,690. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kongsberg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $2,690 in Kongsberg. 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, Kongsberg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.