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 $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,820 in Trondheim, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,233 in Trondheim, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,647 in Trondheim, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 70% cheaper than Trondheim, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Trondheim is 112% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.1

$22.46 NOK 219

-91.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿603

$121 NOK 1,175

-84.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿258

$14.03 NOK 137

-43.91%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$4.75 NOK 46.28

-58.95%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$3.53 NOK 34.39

-75.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.61

$2.90 NOK 28.24

-88.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿70.2

$10.83 NOK 105

-80.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿121

$11.73 NOK 114

-68.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$2.54 NOK 24.69

-34.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿51.1

$3.55 NOK 34.57

-56.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.95

$3.77 NOK 36.68

-68.44%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿65.2

$4.66 NOK 45.34

-57.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿532

$12.28 NOK 120

32.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿104

$15.03 NOK 146

-78.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿355

$28.68 NOK 279

-62.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿87.0

$3.92 NOK 38.18

-32.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.00

$2.98 NOK 29.03

-59.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿54.1

$2.65 NOK 25.86

-37.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.7

$5.28 NOK 51.4

-70.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.53

$3.05 NOK 29.67

-56.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.75

$3.22 NOK 31.40

-62.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.22

$3.15 NOK 30.67

-78.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.54

$2.48 NOK 24.12

-77.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿154

$15.22 NOK 148

-69.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿557

$18.70 NOK 182

-9.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$3.62 NOK 35.29

-49.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿104

$4.62 NOK 45.00

-31.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.70

$4.75 NOK 46.31

-80.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿614

$94.2 NOK 918

-80.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.18

$15.30 NOK 149

-90.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.88

$2.28 NOK 22.24

-41.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿267

$87.9 NOK 856

-90.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.88

$2.25 NOK 21.87

-43.11%

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

$21.8K ฿715.2K

$31.4K NOK 306.3K

-30.59%

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

$22.4K ฿734.1K

$42.4K NOK 412.8K

-47.15%

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

$70.5 ฿2,310

$321 NOK 3,123

-78.02%

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

$14.05 ฿460

$41.79 NOK 407

-66.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿578

$76.7 NOK 747

-76.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,353

$43.45 NOK 423

-4.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿222

$46.26 NOK 451

-85.39%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿195

$17.34 NOK 169

-65.63%

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

$303 ฿9,928

$331 NOK 3,225

-8.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.2K

$8,613 NOK 83.9K

73.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,793

$111 NOK 1,085

-50.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿861

$49.27 NOK 480

-46.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,811

$128 NOK 1,243

-32.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,284

$130 NOK 1,268

-46.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$1,364 NOK 13.3K

-68.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,834

$1,074 NOK 10.5K

-77.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.6K

$2,211 NOK 21.5K

-63.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.7K

$1,677 NOK 16.3K

-69.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿66.4K

$6,258 NOK 61.0K

-67.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿49.2K

$4,944 NOK 48.2K

-69.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.4K

$4,271 NOK 41.6K

-85.42%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,364 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 586% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $121 in Trondheim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $490 – 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 233% 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,230 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 $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $331 in Trondheim. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 102% 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 $848, than in Trondheim at $2,820. 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 $848 versus $2,820 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.