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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,282 per month in Skien vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,202 per month in Skien vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,122 per month in Skien vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Skien costs about 163% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Skien sits 70% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.96 NOK 269

$1.94 ฿63.5

1392.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 NOK 935

$18.64 ฿609

440.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.26 NOK 123

$7.82 ฿255

69.57%

Cappuccino

$4.88 NOK 45.35

$1.95 ฿63.8

150.26%

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

$2.47 NOK 22.94

$0.85 ฿27.77

190.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 NOK 20.38

$0.35 ฿11.58

525.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.05 NOK 84.0

$2.13 ฿69.6

324.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.67 NOK 89.8

$3.73 ฿122

159.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 NOK 18.73

$1.71 ฿56.0

18.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 NOK 30.67

$1.63 ฿53.2

102.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 NOK 29.30

$1.14 ฿37.15

176.32%

Eggs

$4.20 NOK 39.01

$1.93 ฿63.1

117.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 NOK 106

$16.21 ฿530

-29.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.22 NOK 132

$3.12 ฿102

355.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.44 NOK 236

$10.90 ฿356

133.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 NOK 34.89

$2.75 ฿90.0

36.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 NOK 21.55

$1.21 ฿39.52

91.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 NOK 30.63

$1.62 ฿53.0

103.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 NOK 37.36

$1.59 ฿51.8

152.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 NOK 21.26

$1.40 ฿45.70

63.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NOK 20.07

$1.17 ฿38.17

84.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.94 NOK 27.36

$0.66 ฿21.60

345.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 NOK 17.55

$0.53 ฿17.22

256.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.86 NOK 175

$4.69 ฿153

302.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.87 NOK 147

$18.66 ฿609

-14.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.33 NOK 30.97

$1.80 ฿58.8

85.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 NOK 36.67

$3.23 ฿106

22.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 NOK 25.02

$0.90 ฿29.26

198.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.33 NOK 412

$19.21 ฿628

130.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$36.08 NOK 335

$1.41 ฿45.91

2458.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 NOK 13.57

$1.29 ฿42.12

13.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$99.7 NOK 926

$7.84 ฿256

1171.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 NOK 19.41

$1.27 ฿41.58

64.57%

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

$25.7K NOK 238.9K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

20.88%

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

$35.8K NOK 332.2K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

61.01%

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

$96.6 NOK 897

$69.1 ฿2,256

39.87%

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

$37.34 NOK 347

$14.08 ฿460

165.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.51 NOK 358

$18.00 ฿588

113.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.00 NOK 353

$41.06 ฿1,341

-7.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.76 NOK 323

$6.96 ฿227

399.43%

Cinema Ticket

$14.39 NOK 134

$5.92 ฿193

143.07%

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

$312 NOK 2,900

$299 ฿9,766

4.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K NOK 93.9K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-32.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.85 NOK 380

$54.7 ฿1,787

-25.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.21 NOK 327

$26.77 ฿874

31.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.8 NOK 862

$85.0 ฿2,776

9.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 NOK 1,421

$70.6 ฿2,306

116.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$961 NOK 8,931

$428 ฿14.0K

124.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 NOK 9,291

$237 ฿7,752

321.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,101 NOK 10.2K

$801 ฿26.2K

37.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$902 NOK 8,381

$515 ฿16.8K

75.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,561 NOK 33.1K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

80.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,271 NOK 30.4K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

121.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,269 NOK 39.7K

$617 ฿20.2K

591.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

-24.00%

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

Last update for Skien: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $961 in Skien versus $428 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 591% higher in Skien, 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 $101 in Skien versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $432 vs $246 – 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

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

Skien costs about 163% 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 $3,422 per month in Skien and $1,300 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 $312 per month in Skien and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 75% more in Skien, 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 $866, than in Skien at $2,282. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skien it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $2,282 in Skien. 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, Skien makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.