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 $2,561 per month in Sarpsborg vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,771 per month in Sarpsborg vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,982 per month in Sarpsborg vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sarpsborg costs about 195% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Sarpsborg sits 91% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$37.65 NOK 357

$1.98 ฿64.3

1801.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.3 NOK 876

$18.80 ฿612

390.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.53 NOK 176

$7.75 ฿252

139.10%

Cappuccino

$5.28 NOK 50.1

$1.92 ฿62.5

175.00%

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

$2.68 NOK 25.40

$0.79 ฿25.79

239.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 NOK 24.70

$0.36 ฿11.62

622.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 NOK 55.9

$2.21 ฿72.1

166.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.79 NOK 73.9

$3.66 ฿119

112.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 NOK 21.41

$1.65 ฿53.8

36.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 NOK 31.18

$1.63 ฿53.2

101.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 NOK 29.85

$1.19 ฿38.86

163.87%

Eggs

$4.37 NOK 41.52

$2.00 ฿65.1

118.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 NOK 113

$15.98 ฿520

-25.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.93 NOK 142

$3.03 ฿98.5

392.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.14 NOK 267

$10.86 ฿354

159.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 NOK 34.19

$2.76 ฿90.0

30.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 NOK 23.46

$1.18 ฿38.42

109.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 NOK 31.54

$1.64 ฿53.5

102.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 NOK 41.26

$1.52 ฿49.51

186.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 NOK 23.58

$1.38 ฿45.10

79.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 NOK 23.67

$1.19 ฿38.84

109.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 NOK 26.37

$0.70 ฿22.86

297.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 NOK 17.24

$0.56 ฿18.13

225.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.31 NOK 145

$4.58 ฿149

234.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.10 NOK 181

$16.56 ฿539

15.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.40 NOK 32.24

$1.83 ฿59.5

85.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 NOK 37.88

$3.20 ฿104

24.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 NOK 23.40

$0.88 ฿28.56

180.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.1 NOK 703

$18.72 ฿610

295.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.15 NOK 96.3

$1.36 ฿44.16

646.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 NOK 13.30

$1.34 ฿43.65

4.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.99 NOK 437

$7.84 ฿256

486.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 NOK 20.32

$1.23 ฿39.92

73.98%

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

$36.1K NOK 342.9K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

67.09%

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

$38.6K NOK 366.1K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

71.07%

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

$238 NOK 2,263

$70.5 ฿2,298

237.98%

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

$38.10 NOK 362

$13.68 ฿445

178.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 NOK 532

$17.45 ฿568

221.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 NOK 476

$41.33 ฿1,346

21.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.13 NOK 343

$6.96 ฿227

419.11%

Cinema Ticket

$16.31 NOK 155

$5.77 ฿188

182.67%

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

$284 NOK 2,692

$307 ฿10.0K

-7.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K NOK 95.8K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-30.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.6 NOK 926

$55.8 ฿1,817

74.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 NOK 501

$26.21 ฿854

101.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 NOK 1,033

$85.8 ฿2,793

26.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 NOK 1,421

$72.2 ฿2,353

107.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 NOK 11.5K

$430 ฿14.0K

181.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 NOK 8,572

$239 ฿7,774

278.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 NOK 14.2K

$817 ฿26.6K

82.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,319 NOK 12.5K

$511 ฿16.6K

158.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,022 NOK 57.2K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

203.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,474 NOK 42.5K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

201.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,685 NOK 25.5K

$619 ฿20.2K

333.95%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,209 in Sarpsborg versus $430 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 334% 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 $92.0 in Sarpsborg versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $457 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

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

Sarpsborg costs about 195% 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 $3,841 per month in Sarpsborg and $1,303 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 $284 per month in Sarpsborg and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 90% 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 $869, than in Sarpsborg at $2,561. 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 $869 versus $2,561 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.