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 $2,940 per month in Trondheim vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,308 per month in Trondheim vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,677 per month in Trondheim vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Trondheim costs about 209% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Trondheim sits 113% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.25 NOK 197

$2.10 ฿69.3

911.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 NOK 1,009

$19.84 ฿656

448.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.37 NOK 152

$5.79 ฿191

182.73%

Cappuccino

$5.62 NOK 52.2

$1.83 ฿60.4

207.10%

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

$5.80 NOK 53.8

$0.78 ฿25.61

643.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 NOK 40.99

$0.31 ฿10.37

1325.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.62 NOK 126

$2.34 ฿77.2

482.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.35 NOK 124

$3.70 ฿122

260.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.54 NOK 23.52

$2.03 ฿67.1

25.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 NOK 33.07

$1.60 ฿52.7

122.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 NOK 34.80

$1.42 ฿46.75

164.08%

Eggs

$5.10 NOK 47.28

$2.18 ฿71.9

133.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.60 NOK 126

$15.91 ฿526

-14.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.74 NOK 155

$3.07 ฿102

445.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$32.25 NOK 299

$9.87 ฿326

226.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 NOK 36.09

$2.63 ฿86.8

47.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 NOK 27.04

$1.10 ฿36.19

165.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 NOK 35.86

$1.63 ฿53.8

137.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.84 NOK 54.2

$1.53 ฿50.6

281.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 NOK 26.49

$1.24 ฿41.13

130.65%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 NOK 29.02

$1.13 ฿37.37

176.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.96 NOK 27.45

$0.74 ฿24.38

300.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 NOK 20.81

$0.50 ฿16.48

348.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.68 NOK 164

$4.28 ฿141

313.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.18 NOK 178

$17.97 ฿594

6.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.63 NOK 33.65

$1.70 ฿56.1

113.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 NOK 44.11

$2.90 ฿95.7

64.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.89 NOK 45.38

$0.94 ฿31.13

420.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 NOK 949

$55.3 ฿1,827

84.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.51 NOK 88.2

$1.23 ฿40.76

673.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.68 NOK 15.54

$0.53 ฿17.66

216.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.7 NOK 572

$2.40 ฿79.3

2468.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.39 NOK 22.14

$1.44 ฿47.55

65.97%

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

$46.7K NOK 433.3K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

120.39%

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

$46.4K NOK 430.6K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

70.01%

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

$284 NOK 2,634

$64.9 ฿2,145

337.21%

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

$36.38 NOK 337

$13.35 ฿441

172.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.1 NOK 789

$20.83 ฿688

308.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.59 NOK 404

$40.42 ฿1,336

7.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.83 NOK 379

$3.95 ฿131

933.67%

Cinema Ticket

$20.72 NOK 192

$6.71 ฿222

208.79%

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

$304 NOK 2,822

$787 ฿26.0K

-61.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,496 NOK 41.7K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-70.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 NOK 1,036

$56.2 ฿1,858

98.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 NOK 480

$24.95 ฿824

107.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 NOK 1,129

$92.7 ฿3,063

31.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 NOK 1,466

$75.1 ฿2,482

110.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,540 NOK 14.3K

$484 ฿16.0K

218.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 NOK 11.5K

$287 ฿9,491

332.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,307 NOK 21.4K

$910 ฿30.1K

153.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,697 NOK 15.7K

$531 ฿17.5K

219.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,557 NOK 60.8K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

231.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,075 NOK 47.1K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

249.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,285 NOK 39.8K

$605 ฿20.0K

607.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

5.57

-4.49%

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

Last update for Trondheim: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,540 in Trondheim versus $484 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 $109 in Trondheim versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $519 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 209% 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 $4,410 per month in Trondheim and $1,426 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 $304 per month in Trondheim and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 114% 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 $950, than in Trondheim at $2,940. 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 $950 versus $2,940 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.