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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,745 in Trondheim, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,170 in Trondheim, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,595 in Trondheim, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 69% cheaper than Trondheim, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Trondheim is 106% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$22.21 NOK 211

-90.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$123 NOK 1,162

-84.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$14.44 NOK 137

-45.57%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$4.82 NOK 45.75

-57.88%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$3.67 NOK 34.84

-78.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$2.99 NOK 28.34

-88.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$10.80 NOK 102

-80.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$11.45 NOK 109

-67.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$2.51 NOK 23.79

-31.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$3.65 NOK 34.58

-56.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$3.86 NOK 36.62

-68.91%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$4.59 NOK 43.49

-57.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$12.21 NOK 116

32.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$14.92 NOK 141

-79.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$28.37 NOK 269

-61.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.77 NOK 35.76

-26.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.97 NOK 28.21

-60.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.64 NOK 25.00

-35.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$5.01 NOK 47.50

-68.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$2.97 NOK 28.20

-53.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$3.22 NOK 30.53

-63.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$3.20 NOK 30.33

-79.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$2.50 NOK 23.68

-79.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$15.41 NOK 146

-69.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$18.42 NOK 175

-3.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$3.66 NOK 34.68

-51.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$4.84 NOK 45.87

-30.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$4.57 NOK 43.37

-80.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$93.7 NOK 889

-80.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$15.40 NOK 146

-90.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$2.26 NOK 21.40

-40.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$89.5 NOK 848

-90.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$2.12 NOK 20.06

-41.98%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$32.4K NOK 306.8K

-33.76%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$43.1K NOK 409.0K

-49.40%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$323 NOK 3,059

-77.89%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$43.23 NOK 410

-67.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$76.7 NOK 727

-76.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$42.53 NOK 403

-4.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$46.79 NOK 444

-85.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$17.26 NOK 164

-66.86%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$321 NOK 3,044

-3.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$8,375 NOK 79.4K

75.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$110 NOK 1,044

-49.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$47.48 NOK 450

-45.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$128 NOK 1,214

-33.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$132 NOK 1,248

-46.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$1,371 NOK 13.0K

-69.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$1,079 NOK 10.2K

-77.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$2,269 NOK 21.5K

-64.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$1,685 NOK 16.0K

-69.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$6,109 NOK 57.9K

-68.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$4,952 NOK 47.0K

-70.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$4,148 NOK 39.3K

-85.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

15.74%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,371 in Trondheim. 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 597% higher in Trondheim, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $123 in Trondheim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $487 – 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 Trondheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Trondheim costs about 222% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,117 in Trondheim. 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $321 in Trondheim. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 99% more in Trondheim, 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 $852, than in Trondheim at $2,745. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Trondheim it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $2,745 in Trondheim. 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, Trondheim makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.