Cost of Living Comparison Between Berkeley, CA and Trondheim Cost of Living Comparison Between Berkeley, CA and Trondheim

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,846 per month in Berkeley, CA vs $2,990 in Trondheim, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,493 per month in Berkeley, CA vs $4,295 in Trondheim, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,140 per month in Berkeley, CA vs $5,599 in Trondheim, rent included.

Berkeley, CA costs about 29% more than Trondheim, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Berkeley, CA and Trondheim sit above the global median – Berkeley, CA by 180%, Trondheim by 118%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.92 $21.92

$21.21 NOK 197

3.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 $81.3

$108 NOK 1,004

-24.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 $10.42

$16.17 NOK 150

-35.56%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.58 NOK 51.8

3.58%

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

$3.33 $3.33

$5.81 NOK 54.0

-42.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 $3.07

$4.33 NOK 40.19

-29.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.18 $6.18

$13.61 NOK 126

-54.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 $7.56

$13.10 NOK 122

-42.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.60 NOK 24.15

-25.77%

White Bread (500g)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.59 NOK 33.37

27.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.73 $5.73

$3.83 NOK 35.57

49.61%

Eggs

$6.20 $6.20

$5.06 NOK 47.00

22.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.68 $26.68

$13.32 NOK 124

100.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.71 $16.71

$16.56 NOK 154

0.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.31 $22.31

$32.75 NOK 304

-31.88%

Apples (1kg)

$7.16 $7.16

$3.97 NOK 36.87

80.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.03 NOK 28.13

-15.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.27 $6.27

$3.92 NOK 36.38

59.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$10.26 $10.26

$5.64 NOK 52.4

81.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.88 NOK 26.76

26.04%

Onion (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$3.10 NOK 28.82

54.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.99 NOK 27.77

-17.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.16 $3.16

$2.35 NOK 21.81

34.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.80 $11.80

$17.92 NOK 166

-34.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.25 $13.25

$19.02 NOK 177

-30.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$3.73 NOK 34.60

-44.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$4.52 NOK 41.99

-38.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$4.76 NOK 44.21

-48.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$92.4 $92.4

$102 NOK 952

-9.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$9.75 NOK 90.5

-63.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.65 NOK 15.31

10.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.15 $40.15

$59.9 NOK 556

-32.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$2.30 NOK 21.35

-38.70%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$45.8K NOK 425.2K

-19.85%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$46.7K NOK 433.7K

-44.55%

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

$180 $180

$276 NOK 2,564

-34.91%

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

$61.3 $61.3

$36.40 NOK 338

68.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.9 $74.9

$83.3 NOK 773

-10.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.62 $49.62

$43.49 NOK 404

14.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.22 $8.22

$41.47 NOK 385

-80.18%

Cinema Ticket

$15.10 $15.10

$21.11 NOK 196

-28.47%

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

$2,422 $2,422

$303 NOK 2,812

699.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.7K $35.7K

$4,410 NOK 40.9K

710.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.0 $72.0

$110 NOK 1,021

-34.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.8 $70.8

$51.5 NOK 478

37.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 $95.8

$125 NOK 1,158

-23.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$237 $237

$158 NOK 1,462

50.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,569 $2,569

$1,508 NOK 14.0K

70.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 $2,194

$1,209 NOK 11.2K

81.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,929 $4,929

$2,241 NOK 20.8K

119.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,521 $3,521

$1,685 NOK 15.6K

108.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,194 $8,194

$6,577 NOK 61.1K

24.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,290 $7,290

$5,047 NOK 46.9K

44.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,877 $6,877

$4,203 NOK 39.0K

63.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.07

5.32

14.10%

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

Last update for Berkeley, CA: September 1, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,569 in Berkeley, CA versus $1,508 in Trondheim. 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 64% higher in Berkeley, CA, 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 $81.0 in Berkeley, CA versus $108 in Trondheim. Groceries tell a different story – $582 in Berkeley, CA vs $521 in Trondheim – so Trondheim wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Berkeley, CA vs Trondheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Berkeley, CA is pricier by about 29%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,769 per month in Berkeley, CA and $4,486 in Trondheim. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Trondheim, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 11% less in Trondheim. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,422 per month in Berkeley, CA and $303 in Trondheim. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,846 in Berkeley, CA and $2,990 in Trondheim. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Trondheim – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Trondheim. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Berkeley, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.