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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,769 per month in Trondheim vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,199 per month in Trondheim vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,628 per month in Trondheim vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Trondheim costs about 228% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Trondheim sits 107% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.24 NOK 207

$1.95 ฿62.8

1040.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,120

$18.43 ฿594

553.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.02 NOK 130

$7.50 ฿241

86.93%

Cappuccino

$4.76 NOK 44.30

$1.93 ฿62.3

146.63%

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

$3.62 NOK 33.68

$0.78 ฿25.08

364.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 NOK 27.86

$0.32 ฿10.42

837.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.48 NOK 97.5

$2.15 ฿69.2

387.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.60 NOK 108

$3.71 ฿120

212.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.52 NOK 23.44

$1.71 ฿55.2

47.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 NOK 32.19

$1.56 ฿50.3

121.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.86 NOK 35.89

$1.18 ฿38.06

227.12%

Eggs

$4.45 NOK 41.37

$1.98 ฿63.9

124.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.26 NOK 114

$16.04 ฿517

-23.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.12 NOK 141

$3.17 ฿102

376.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.16 NOK 262

$10.94 ฿353

157.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.90 NOK 36.27

$2.63 ฿84.7

48.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 NOK 26.62

$1.17 ฿37.61

144.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 24.44

$1.65 ฿53.0

59.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.28 NOK 49.08

$1.54 ฿49.51

242.86%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 NOK 28.12

$1.38 ฿44.34

118.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.35 NOK 31.13

$1.17 ฿37.54

186.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.14 NOK 29.23

$0.66 ฿21.25

375.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 NOK 23.43

$0.51 ฿16.55

394.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.30 NOK 142

$4.52 ฿146

238.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.44 NOK 172

$18.32 ฿590

0.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.70 NOK 34.38

$1.80 ฿57.9

105.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 NOK 43.74

$3.18 ฿102

47.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.60 NOK 42.76

$0.90 ฿28.97

411.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.2 NOK 876

$19.00 ฿612

395.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.28 NOK 142

$1.41 ฿45.50

983.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 NOK 20.94

$1.31 ฿42.15

71.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$89.5 NOK 832

$8.09 ฿261

1006.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 NOK 20.13

$1.28 ฿41.08

68.75%

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

$31.6K NOK 294.2K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

48.54%

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

$42.2K NOK 392.6K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

94.51%

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

$323 NOK 3,000

$69.2 ฿2,230

366.20%

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

$42.66 NOK 397

$13.97 ฿450

205.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.3 NOK 691

$17.95 ฿578

313.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.93 NOK 390

$42.31 ฿1,363

-0.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.26 NOK 430

$6.66 ฿214

594.59%

Cinema Ticket

$17.54 NOK 163

$5.92 ฿191

196.28%

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

$328 NOK 3,054

$299 ฿9,640

9.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,586 NOK 79.9K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-42.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 NOK 1,023

$56.2 ฿1,810

95.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.72 NOK 444

$26.94 ฿868

77.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 NOK 1,170

$84.9 ฿2,735

48.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 NOK 1,230

$71.8 ฿2,314

84.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 NOK 12.8K

$435 ฿14.0K

216.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 NOK 10.0K

$240 ฿7,727

349.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,227 NOK 20.7K

$798 ฿25.7K

179.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,686 NOK 15.7K

$498 ฿16.1K

238.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,271 NOK 58.3K

$1,995 ฿64.3K

214.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,863 NOK 45.2K

$1,532 ฿49.4K

217.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,445 NOK 41.3K

$628 ฿20.2K

607.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

-13.60%

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

Last update for Trondheim: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,377 in Trondheim versus $435 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.

Salaries run about 608% 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 $120 in Trondheim versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $487 vs $244 – 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

Trondheim vs Chiang Mai: 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 $4,153 per month in Trondheim and $1,267 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 $328 per month in Trondheim and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 100% 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 $845, than in Trondheim at $2,769. 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 $845 versus $2,769 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.