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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,011 per month in Steinkjer vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,053 per month in Steinkjer vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,095 per month in Steinkjer vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Steinkjer costs about 134% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Steinkjer sits 51% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.75 NOK 219

$1.96 ฿65.7

1060.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.3 NOK 533

$18.35 ฿616

201.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.35 NOK 129

$7.48 ฿251

78.48%

Cappuccino

$4.44 NOK 42.73

$2.02 ฿67.7

119.80%

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

$3.68 NOK 35.47

$0.85 ฿28.45

332.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 NOK 28.38

$0.36 ฿11.94

719.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.31 NOK 99.3

$2.14 ฿71.7

381.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 NOK 59.2

$3.59 ฿121

71.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 NOK 19.21

$1.65 ฿55.4

20.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 NOK 35.20

$1.57 ฿52.6

132.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NOK 29.16

$1.19 ฿39.95

154.62%

Eggs

$4.49 NOK 43.28

$1.94 ฿65.0

131.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 NOK 99.3

$16.19 ฿544

-36.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.95 NOK 144

$2.99 ฿100

400.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.55 NOK 275

$10.94 ฿367

160.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 NOK 36.20

$2.71 ฿91.0

38.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 NOK 21.78

$1.17 ฿39.18

93.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 25.31

$1.69 ฿56.6

55.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 NOK 48.97

$1.60 ฿53.9

217.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 NOK 19.13

$1.38 ฿46.45

44.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 NOK 19.33

$1.20 ฿40.38

67.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 NOK 25.09

$0.67 ฿22.46

288.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 NOK 23.15

$0.56 ฿18.70

328.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.01 NOK 135

$4.64 ฿156

201.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.06 NOK 174

$17.62 ฿591

2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.59 NOK 34.60

$1.86 ฿62.4

93.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 NOK 44.33

$3.30 ฿111

39.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.93 NOK 37.84

$0.88 ฿29.63

346.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.7 NOK 719

$19.34 ฿649

286.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.06 NOK 145

$1.36 ฿45.82

1007.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 NOK 21.17

$1.34 ฿44.90

64.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.7 NOK 844

$8.21 ฿276

967.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 NOK 19.66

$1.22 ฿41.11

67.21%

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

$31.4K NOK 302.9K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

47.25%

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

$42.5K NOK 409.7K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

88.79%

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

$150 NOK 1,445

$70.7 ฿2,372

112.28%

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

$42.93 NOK 413

$14.04 ฿471

205.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 NOK 487

$17.49 ฿587

189.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.69 NOK 296

$42.15 ฿1,415

-27.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.73 NOK 344

$6.88 ฿231

419.33%

Cinema Ticket

$15.06 NOK 145

$5.92 ฿199

154.39%

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

$330 NOK 3,182

$309 ฿10.4K

7.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,521 NOK 82.1K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-42.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 NOK 485

$55.8 ฿1,872

-9.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.83 NOK 297

$26.11 ฿877

18.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.3 NOK 580

$83.0 ฿2,787

-27.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 NOK 1,271

$70.5 ฿2,365

87.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 NOK 9,738

$432 ฿14.5K

134.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$657 NOK 6,330

$239 ฿8,020

175.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 NOK 14.7K

$822 ฿27.6K

86.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,026 NOK 9,880

$512 ฿17.2K

100.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,066 NOK 58.4K

$1,915 ฿64.3K

216.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,692 NOK 35.6K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

151.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.5

-70.00%

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

Last update for Steinkjer: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,011 in Steinkjer versus $432 in Chiang Mai. 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 $55.0 in Steinkjer versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $459 vs $243 – 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

Steinkjer vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Steinkjer costs about 134% 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 $3,017 per month in Steinkjer and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. 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 $330 per month in Steinkjer and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 88% 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 $861, than in Steinkjer at $2,011. 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 $861 versus $2,011 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.