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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,040 in Steinkjer, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,013 in Steinkjer, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,985 in Steinkjer, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 58% cheaper than Steinkjer, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Steinkjer is 52% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$22.84 NOK 213

-91.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$54.9 NOK 511

-66.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$13.05 NOK 122

-40.08%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$4.64 NOK 43.19

-57.97%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$3.64 NOK 33.87

-76.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$2.87 NOK 26.75

-87.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$10.01 NOK 93.2

-78.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$6.13 NOK 57.0

-39.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.96 NOK 18.28

-12.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$3.63 NOK 33.80

-55.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$3.07 NOK 28.58

-62.87%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$4.64 NOK 43.22

-58.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$10.14 NOK 94.4

59.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$15.08 NOK 140

-79.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$28.06 NOK 261

-61.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.93 NOK 36.61

-30.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$2.25 NOK 20.93

-46.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.57 NOK 23.97

-36.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$5.08 NOK 47.26

-68.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$2.03 NOK 18.94

-31.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$2.06 NOK 19.22

-43.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$2.51 NOK 23.39

-73.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$2.40 NOK 22.30

-77.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$14.41 NOK 134

-67.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$18.92 NOK 176

-1.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$3.52 NOK 32.73

-48.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$4.81 NOK 44.78

-32.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$4.01 NOK 37.28

-77.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$74.3 NOK 692

-74.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$14.99 NOK 140

-90.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$2.23 NOK 20.77

-42.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$89.5 NOK 833

-91.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.98 NOK 18.39

-35.86%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$31.8K NOK 296.0K

-33.07%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$42.7K NOK 397.4K

-47.97%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$150 NOK 1,400

-54.06%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$42.78 NOK 398

-67.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$50.6 NOK 471

-64.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$30.84 NOK 287

33.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$36.02 NOK 335

-80.68%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$15.26 NOK 142

-61.21%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$329 NOK 3,066

-9.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$8,468 NOK 78.8K

76.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$50.9 NOK 474

7.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$29.97 NOK 279

-10.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$61.0 NOK 568

39.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$129 NOK 1,201

-45.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$1,022 NOK 9,519

-58.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$648 NOK 6,033

-63.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,530 NOK 14.2K

-47.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$999 NOK 9,298

-48.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$5,278 NOK 49.1K

-62.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$3,870 NOK 36.0K

-61.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Steinkjer: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,022 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $55.0 in Steinkjer. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $460 – 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 135% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,060 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $329 in Steinkjer. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 87% 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 $866, than in Steinkjer at $2,040. 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 $866 versus $2,040 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.