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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,011 in Steinkjer, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,053 in Steinkjer, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,095 in Steinkjer, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 57% cheaper than Steinkjer, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Steinkjer is 51% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$22.75 NOK 219

-91.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$55.3 NOK 533

-66.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$13.35 NOK 129

-43.97%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$4.44 NOK 42.78

-54.50%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$3.68 NOK 35.51

-76.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$2.95 NOK 28.42

-87.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$10.31 NOK 99.4

-79.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$6.15 NOK 59.3

-41.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.99 NOK 19.23

-17.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$3.65 NOK 35.24

-56.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$3.03 NOK 29.19

-60.73%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$4.49 NOK 43.33

-56.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$10.31 NOK 99.5

57.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$14.95 NOK 144

-80.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$28.55 NOK 275

-61.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.76 NOK 36.24

-27.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$2.26 NOK 21.80

-48.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$2.63 NOK 25.34

-35.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$5.08 NOK 49.02

-68.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.99 NOK 19.15

-30.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$2.01 NOK 19.35

-40.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$2.60 NOK 25.12

-74.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$2.40 NOK 23.17

-76.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$14.01 NOK 135

-66.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$18.06 NOK 174

-2.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$3.59 NOK 34.64

-48.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$4.60 NOK 44.38

-28.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$3.93 NOK 37.88

-77.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$74.7 NOK 720

-74.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$15.06 NOK 145

-90.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$2.20 NOK 21.19

-39.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$87.7 NOK 845

-90.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$2.04 NOK 19.68

-40.20%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$31.4K NOK 303.2K

-32.09%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$42.5K NOK 410.2K

-47.03%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$150 NOK 1,447

-52.89%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$42.93 NOK 414

-67.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$50.6 NOK 488

-65.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$30.69 NOK 296

37.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$35.73 NOK 345

-80.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$15.06 NOK 145

-60.69%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$330 NOK 3,185

-6.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$8,521 NOK 82.2K

74.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$50.4 NOK 486

10.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$30.83 NOK 297

-15.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$60.3 NOK 581

37.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$132 NOK 1,273

-46.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$1,011 NOK 9,749

-57.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$657 NOK 6,337

-63.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$1,530 NOK 14.8K

-46.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$1,026 NOK 9,892

-50.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$6,066 NOK 58.5K

-68.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$3,692 NOK 35.6K

-60.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.5

233.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Steinkjer: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $1,011 in Steinkjer. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $55.0 in Steinkjer. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $459 – 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

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

Steinkjer costs about 134% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,017 in Steinkjer. 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $330 in Steinkjer. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 88% more in Steinkjer, 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 $861, than in Steinkjer at $2,011. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Steinkjer it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $2,011 in Steinkjer. 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, Steinkjer makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.