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 $2,791 per month in Trondheim vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,121 per month in Trondheim vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,452 per month in Trondheim vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Trondheim costs about 229% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Trondheim sits 109% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.59 NOK 216

$2.03 ฿68.2

1012.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 NOK 1,168

$18.71 ฿629

552.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.08 NOK 135

$7.84 ฿263

79.59%

Cappuccino

$4.68 NOK 44.80

$1.93 ฿64.7

142.49%

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

$3.63 NOK 34.79

$0.83 ฿27.92

337.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 NOK 28.13

$0.35 ฿11.77

740.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.71 NOK 103

$2.22 ฿74.6

382.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.59 NOK 111

$3.79 ฿127

205.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.63 NOK 25.19

$1.65 ฿55.3

59.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.52 NOK 33.72

$1.55 ฿52.1

127.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.96 NOK 37.92

$1.18 ฿39.69

235.59%

Eggs

$4.44 NOK 42.49

$2.01 ฿67.7

120.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.26 NOK 117

$16.16 ฿543

-24.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.27 NOK 146

$3.03 ฿102

403.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.03 NOK 268

$10.84 ฿364

158.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 NOK 35.69

$2.68 ฿90.0

39.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 NOK 28.15

$1.22 ฿41.03

140.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 NOK 24.74

$1.63 ฿54.6

58.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.13 NOK 49.12

$1.53 ฿51.3

235.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.03 NOK 28.98

$1.34 ฿44.98

126.12%

Onion (1kg)

$3.36 NOK 32.18

$1.21 ฿40.75

177.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.20 NOK 30.63

$0.70 ฿23.57

357.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 NOK 23.40

$0.53 ฿17.65

360.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.15 NOK 145

$4.69 ฿157

223.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.59 NOK 178

$17.71 ฿595

4.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.62 NOK 34.64

$1.85 ฿62.0

95.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 NOK 46.26

$3.21 ฿108

50.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.58 NOK 43.87

$0.89 ฿29.93

414.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.3 NOK 874

$18.76 ฿630

386.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.10 NOK 145

$1.41 ฿47.27

970.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 NOK 21.38

$1.29 ฿43.40

72.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.9 NOK 841

$7.79 ฿262

1028.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 NOK 20.27

$1.29 ฿43.47

64.34%

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

$31.8K NOK 304.2K

$21.8K ฿731.4K

46.02%

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

$42.6K NOK 407.6K

$21.7K ฿728.8K

96.35%

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

$319 NOK 3,054

$70.0 ฿2,351

355.92%

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

$42.81 NOK 410

$14.19 ฿477

201.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.4 NOK 721

$17.42 ฿585

332.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.89 NOK 401

$41.64 ฿1,399

0.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.73 NOK 447

$6.89 ฿231

578.23%

Cinema Ticket

$17.42 NOK 167

$5.78 ฿194

201.38%

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

$324 NOK 3,101

$300 ฿10.1K

8.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,636 NOK 82.7K

$14.5K ฿487.9K

-40.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 NOK 1,076

$55.4 ฿1,860

103.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.40 NOK 454

$26.31 ฿884

80.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 NOK 1,240

$84.8 ฿2,851

52.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 NOK 1,281

$70.5 ฿2,368

89.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,361 NOK 13.0K

$425 ฿14.3K

220.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 NOK 10.2K

$235 ฿7,898

352.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 NOK 21.7K

$802 ฿27.0K

183.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 NOK 16.0K

$516 ฿17.3K

224.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,217 NOK 59.5K

$1,926 ฿64.7K

222.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,843 NOK 46.4K

$1,451 ฿48.7K

233.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,245 NOK 40.6K

$586 ฿19.7K

624.12%

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,361 in Trondheim versus $425 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 624% 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 $242 – 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 229% 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 $4,186 per month in Trondheim and $1,271 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 $324 per month in Trondheim and $300 in Chiang Mai. 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 $847, than in Trondheim at $2,791. 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 $847 versus $2,791 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.