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 $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,748 in Steinkjer, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,954 in Steinkjer, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,161 in Steinkjer, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 66% cheaper than Steinkjer, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Steinkjer is 100% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$21.44 NOK 199

-90.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$59.4 NOK 551

-66.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$14.16 NOK 131

-60.10%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$4.96 NOK 46.07

-63.51%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$5.74 NOK 53.3

-87.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$4.23 NOK 39.25

-92.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$10.62 NOK 98.6

-78.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.55 NOK 60.8

-44.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$2.59 NOK 24.08

-24.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$3.56 NOK 33.06

-57.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$3.88 NOK 35.99

-65.46%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$4.85 NOK 45.01

-53.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$13.50 NOK 125

20.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$16.65 NOK 155

-82.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$29.88 NOK 277

-66.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$4.05 NOK 37.56

-36.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$2.92 NOK 27.11

-63.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$3.94 NOK 36.58

-59.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$5.69 NOK 52.8

-73.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$2.95 NOK 27.36

-56.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$3.05 NOK 28.35

-64.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$2.94 NOK 27.29

-75.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$2.26 NOK 21.02

-77.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$17.78 NOK 165

-76.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$18.66 NOK 173

-4.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$3.67 NOK 34.11

-53.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$4.53 NOK 42.06

-37.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

$4.31 NOK 40.05

-78.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

$87.0 NOK 808

-38.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$9.58 NOK 89.0

-87.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$1.67 NOK 15.55

-65.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$61.8 NOK 574

-96.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$2.34 NOK 21.72

-39.74%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$46.0K NOK 426.8K

-53.35%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$45.9K NOK 426.2K

-40.45%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$276 NOK 2,564

-76.94%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$36.55 NOK 339

-64.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$83.1 NOK 772

-75.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$53.6 NOK 498

-27.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$42.75 NOK 397

-90.71%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$16.01 NOK 149

-57.90%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$303 NOK 2,814

156.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$4,430 NOK 41.1K

229.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$110 NOK 1,017

-50.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$51.0 NOK 473

-50.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$122 NOK 1,132

-22.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$162 NOK 1,503

-54.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$1,247 NOK 11.6K

-60.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

$1,129 NOK 10.5K

-74.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$1,832 NOK 17.0K

-51.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$1,898 NOK 17.6K

-72.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$6,007 NOK 55.8K

-67.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

$3,779 NOK 35.1K

-60.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.32

4.70%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Steinkjer: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $1,247 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $59.0 in Steinkjer. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $510 – 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 190% 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,122 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 $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $303 in Steinkjer. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 112% 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 $947, than in Steinkjer at $2,748. 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 $947 versus $2,748 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.