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 $2,748 per month in Trondheim vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,158 per month in Trondheim vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,569 per month in Trondheim vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Trondheim costs about 217% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Trondheim sits 105% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.17 NOK 210

$1.94 ฿63.8

1042.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 NOK 1,157

$18.64 ฿611

556.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.43 NOK 136

$7.82 ฿256

84.53%

Cappuccino

$4.84 NOK 45.79

$1.95 ฿64.1

148.21%

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

$3.58 NOK 33.88

$0.85 ฿27.90

321.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 NOK 27.49

$0.35 ฿11.64

731.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.67 NOK 101

$2.13 ฿69.9

400.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.42 NOK 108

$3.73 ฿122

206.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.60 NOK 24.62

$1.71 ฿56.2

52.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 NOK 33.06

$1.63 ฿53.4

114.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.84 NOK 36.33

$1.14 ฿37.32

236.84%

Eggs

$4.43 NOK 41.88

$1.93 ฿63.4

129.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.20 NOK 115

$16.21 ฿532

-24.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.90 NOK 141

$3.12 ฿102

377.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.82 NOK 272

$10.90 ฿357

164.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 NOK 36.44

$2.75 ฿90.4

40.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 NOK 27.85

$1.21 ฿39.70

143.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 NOK 24.92

$1.62 ฿53.2

62.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 NOK 48.95

$1.59 ฿52.1

225.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 NOK 27.35

$1.40 ฿45.91

106.43%

Onion (1kg)

$3.28 NOK 31.02

$1.17 ฿38.34

180.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.17 NOK 29.93

$0.66 ฿21.70

380.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 NOK 22.58

$0.53 ฿17.30

350.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.01 NOK 142

$4.69 ฿154

220.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.82 NOK 178

$18.66 ฿612

0.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.84 NOK 36.28

$1.80 ฿59.0

113.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 NOK 44.13

$3.23 ฿106

44.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.65 NOK 43.96

$0.90 ฿29.39

416.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.3 NOK 863

$19.21 ฿630

375.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.44 NOK 146

$1.41 ฿46.13

995.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 NOK 21.52

$1.29 ฿42.31

76.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.6 NOK 828

$7.84 ฿257

1017.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 NOK 20.50

$1.27 ฿41.77

70.87%

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

$32.0K NOK 302.5K

$21.3K ฿698.1K

50.40%

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

$41.8K NOK 395.0K

$22.2K ฿728.8K

88.13%

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

$317 NOK 3,000

$69.1 ฿2,266

359.49%

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

$43.17 NOK 408

$14.08 ฿462

206.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.4 NOK 712

$18.00 ฿591

318.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.29 NOK 400

$41.06 ฿1,347

3.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.17 NOK 436

$6.96 ฿228

563.36%

Cinema Ticket

$17.30 NOK 164

$5.92 ฿194

192.23%

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

$326 NOK 3,084

$299 ฿9,811

9.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,458 NOK 80.0K

$15.0K ฿490.6K

-43.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 NOK 1,070

$54.7 ฿1,795

106.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.03 NOK 454

$26.77 ฿878

79.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 NOK 1,227

$85.0 ฿2,788

52.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 NOK 1,251

$70.6 ฿2,316

87.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 NOK 13.3K

$428 ฿14.0K

228.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 NOK 10.2K

$237 ฿7,787

355.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,208 NOK 20.9K

$801 ฿26.3K

175.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,702 NOK 16.1K

$515 ฿16.9K

230.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,371 NOK 60.2K

$1,975 ฿64.8K

222.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,083 NOK 48.1K

$1,475 ฿48.4K

244.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,336 NOK 41.0K

$617 ฿20.3K

602.29%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,407 in Trondheim versus $428 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 602% 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 $122 in Trondheim versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $488 vs $246 – 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 217% 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 $4,122 per month in Trondheim and $1,300 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 $326 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 98% 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 $866, than in Trondheim at $2,748. 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 $866 versus $2,748 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.