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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,009 in Trondheim, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,335 in Trondheim, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,661 in Trondheim, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Trondheim is 120% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$20.98 NOK 198

-90.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$110 NOK 1,036

-82.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$15.84 NOK 149

-64.20%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$5.62 NOK 52.9

-67.79%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$5.77 NOK 54.4

-86.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$4.37 NOK 41.15

-91.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$13.62 NOK 128

-83.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$13.21 NOK 124

-71.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$2.59 NOK 24.38

-20.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$3.55 NOK 33.49

-57.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$3.90 NOK 36.79

-64.10%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$4.88 NOK 46.01

-53.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$13.49 NOK 127

20.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$16.46 NOK 155

-82.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$32.40 NOK 305

-70.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$3.89 NOK 36.66

-31.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.94 NOK 27.67

-62.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$4.00 NOK 37.69

-59.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$5.77 NOK 54.3

-74.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$2.89 NOK 27.23

-55.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$3.14 NOK 29.57

-66.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$2.87 NOK 27.07

-74.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$2.25 NOK 21.23

-76.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$18.01 NOK 170

-76.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$19.22 NOK 181

-4.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$3.54 NOK 33.33

-53.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$4.69 NOK 44.19

-38.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$4.88 NOK 46.00

-81.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$102 NOK 963

-47.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$9.49 NOK 89.4

-87.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.61 NOK 15.15

-63.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$61.3 NOK 577

-96.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$2.38 NOK 22.41

-39.08%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$47.1K NOK 444.0K

-55.41%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$46.4K NOK 437.1K

-43.04%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$282 NOK 2,655

-77.41%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$36.46 NOK 344

-64.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$83.6 NOK 787

-75.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$44.16 NOK 416

-11.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$41.28 NOK 389

-90.50%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$21.08 NOK 199

-68.79%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$304 NOK 2,861

158.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$4,455 NOK 42.0K

229.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$110 NOK 1,040

-50.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$52.7 NOK 496

-53.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$124 NOK 1,172

-24.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$158 NOK 1,485

-53.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$1,496 NOK 14.1K

-67.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$1,236 NOK 11.6K

-76.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$2,253 NOK 21.2K

-60.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$1,690 NOK 15.9K

-69.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$6,555 NOK 61.8K

-69.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$5,105 NOK 48.1K

-71.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$4,338 NOK 40.9K

-86.13%

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $1,496 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 621% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $110 in Trondheim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $517 – 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 223% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,513 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $304 in Trondheim. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 115% 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 $932, than in Trondheim at $3,009. 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 $932 versus $3,009 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.