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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,531 per month in Sarpsborg vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,800 per month in Sarpsborg vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,068 per month in Sarpsborg vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sarpsborg costs about 197% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Sarpsborg sits 90% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$38.33 NOK 368

$2.04 ฿68.4

1778.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.9 NOK 891

$18.71 ฿626

396.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.37 NOK 176

$7.86 ฿263

133.72%

Cappuccino

$5.45 NOK 52.3

$2.03 ฿67.9

168.47%

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

$2.74 NOK 26.26

$0.80 ฿26.71

242.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 NOK 23.96

$0.35 ฿11.71

614.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 NOK 56.8

$2.14 ฿71.7

176.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 NOK 75.3

$3.67 ฿123

113.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 21.60

$1.73 ฿57.8

30.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 NOK 32.87

$1.57 ฿52.5

118.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 NOK 31.69

$1.20 ฿40.10

175.00%

Eggs

$4.35 NOK 41.68

$1.97 ฿66.0

120.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 NOK 113

$16.23 ฿543

-27.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.83 NOK 142

$3.06 ฿102

384.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.38 NOK 263

$10.80 ฿361

153.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 NOK 33.89

$2.77 ฿92.6

27.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 NOK 23.86

$1.17 ฿39.05

112.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 NOK 31.78

$1.71 ฿57.1

93.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 NOK 42.21

$1.59 ฿53.3

176.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 NOK 23.51

$1.39 ฿46.63

76.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 NOK 24.60

$1.16 ฿38.67

120.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 NOK 26.52

$0.66 ฿22.11

318.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 NOK 17.41

$0.52 ฿17.35

250.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.07 NOK 145

$4.65 ฿155

224.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 NOK 160

$17.78 ฿595

-6.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 NOK 31.48

$1.79 ฿59.8

83.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 NOK 38.21

$3.34 ฿112

19.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.51 NOK 24.12

$0.91 ฿30.35

175.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.1 NOK 701

$18.64 ฿624

291.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.02 NOK 96.1

$1.41 ฿47.17

610.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 NOK 13.93

$1.34 ฿44.82

8.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.91 NOK 450

$8.11 ฿271

478.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 NOK 19.92

$1.23 ฿41.27

69.11%

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

$36.1K NOK 346.1K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

68.33%

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

$39.2K NOK 376.1K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

79.67%

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

$238 NOK 2,282

$71.3 ฿2,386

233.52%

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

$38.73 NOK 372

$14.01 ฿469

176.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 NOK 529

$17.93 ฿600

207.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.40 NOK 474

$40.82 ฿1,365

21.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.87 NOK 334

$6.88 ฿230

406.83%

Cinema Ticket

$16.78 NOK 161

$5.72 ฿191

193.36%

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

$288 NOK 2,761

$308 ฿10.3K

-6.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K NOK 97.0K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-31.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.4 NOK 915

$55.8 ฿1,865

70.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 NOK 506

$26.04 ฿871

102.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 NOK 1,021

$84.8 ฿2,837

25.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 NOK 1,449

$71.0 ฿2,375

112.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 NOK 11.4K

$423 ฿14.2K

181.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 NOK 8,493

$242 ฿8,110

265.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,532 NOK 14.7K

$797 ฿26.7K

92.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 NOK 12.4K

$507 ฿17.0K

154.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,754 NOK 55.2K

$1,918 ฿64.2K

199.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,063 NOK 39.0K

$1,464 ฿49.0K

177.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,612 NOK 25.1K

$595 ฿19.9K

338.99%

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 Sarpsborg: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,192 in Sarpsborg 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 339% higher in Sarpsborg, 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 $93.0 in Sarpsborg versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $450 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

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

Sarpsborg costs about 197% 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 $3,796 per month in Sarpsborg 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 $288 per month in Sarpsborg 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 84% more in Sarpsborg, 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 Sarpsborg at $2,531. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sarpsborg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $2,531 in Sarpsborg. 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, Sarpsborg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.