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 $2,794 in Trondheim, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,158 in Trondheim, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,521 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 109% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$22.32 NOK 208

-91.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$121 NOK 1,127

-84.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$14.30 NOK 133

-44.62%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$4.67 NOK 43.55

-59.10%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$3.66 NOK 34.10

-77.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$2.89 NOK 26.90

-87.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$10.79 NOK 101

-79.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$11.44 NOK 107

-66.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.52 NOK 23.51

-34.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$3.60 NOK 33.53

-55.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$3.86 NOK 35.93

-69.43%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$4.55 NOK 42.37

-55.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$12.19 NOK 114

30.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$15.17 NOK 141

-80.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$28.24 NOK 263

-61.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.88 NOK 36.13

-32.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$3.00 NOK 27.92

-59.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.67 NOK 24.88

-36.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$5.03 NOK 46.86

-68.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$2.97 NOK 27.73

-55.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$3.34 NOK 31.09

-64.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$3.24 NOK 30.20

-79.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$2.53 NOK 23.59

-77.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$15.40 NOK 143

-70.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$19.08 NOK 178

-4.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$3.66 NOK 34.10

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$4.73 NOK 44.05

-31.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$4.69 NOK 43.68

-81.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$93.3 NOK 870

-79.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$15.00 NOK 140

-91.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$2.16 NOK 20.16

-37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$88.6 NOK 826

-90.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$2.13 NOK 19.86

-40.38%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$32.0K NOK 298.2K

-33.89%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$41.8K NOK 389.9K

-46.26%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$318 NOK 2,962

-77.92%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$41.68 NOK 388

-66.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$76.9 NOK 717

-77.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$42.83 NOK 399

-2.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$47.79 NOK 445

-86.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$17.29 NOK 161

-66.57%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$329 NOK 3,069

-7.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$8,501 NOK 79.2K

74.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$110 NOK 1,022

-50.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$47.69 NOK 444

-45.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$129 NOK 1,202

-34.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$132 NOK 1,228

-47.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$1,386 NOK 12.9K

-69.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$1,065 NOK 9,928

-77.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$2,218 NOK 20.7K

-62.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,676 NOK 15.6K

-69.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$6,199 NOK 57.8K

-66.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$4,921 NOK 45.9K

-69.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$4,339 NOK 40.4K

-85.36%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $1,386 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 583% 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 $121 in Trondheim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 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 228% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,191 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $329 in Trondheim. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 101% 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 $2,794. 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 $2,794 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.