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 $3,878 per month in Berkeley, CA vs $2,748 in Trondheim, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,678 per month in Berkeley, CA vs $4,158 in Trondheim, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,478 per month in Berkeley, CA vs $5,569 in Trondheim, rent included.

Berkeley, CA costs about 41% more than Trondheim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Berkeley, CA and Trondheim sit above the global median – Berkeley, CA by 189%, Trondheim by 105%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.84 $21.84

$22.17 NOK 206

-1.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.4 $98.4

$122 NOK 1,137

-19.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 $11.71

$14.43 NOK 134

-18.85%

Cappuccino

$5.91 $5.91

$4.84 NOK 45.00

22.11%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$3.58 NOK 33.30

-10.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.91 NOK 27.02

-16.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.86 $7.86

$10.67 NOK 99.2

-26.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.91 $8.91

$11.42 NOK 106

-21.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.60 NOK 24.19

-43.85%

White Bread (500g)

$5.00 $5.00

$3.50 NOK 32.48

42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.34 $6.34

$3.84 NOK 35.70

65.10%

Eggs

$4.94 $4.94

$4.43 NOK 41.15

11.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.53 $21.53

$12.20 NOK 113

76.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.74 $14.74

$14.90 NOK 138

-1.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.58 $22.58

$28.82 NOK 268

-21.65%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.85 NOK 35.80

55.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.95 NOK 27.37

-11.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$2.64 NOK 24.49

89.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.29 $7.29

$5.18 NOK 48.10

40.73%

Potato (1kg)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.89 NOK 26.87

21.45%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$3.28 NOK 30.49

16.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.90 $2.90

$3.17 NOK 29.41

-8.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.39 NOK 22.18

16.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.11 $12.11

$15.01 NOK 139

-19.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.24 $13.24

$18.82 NOK 175

-29.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$3.84 NOK 35.65

-40.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$4.67 NOK 43.37

-28.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 $2.52

$4.65 NOK 43.20

-45.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.1 $85.1

$91.3 NOK 848

-6.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 $3.51

$15.44 NOK 143

-77.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.28 NOK 21.15

-19.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.64 $29.64

$87.6 NOK 814

-66.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.17 NOK 20.14

-41.47%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$32.0K NOK 297.3K

-4.62%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$41.8K NOK 388.2K

-36.74%

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

$217 $217

$317 NOK 2,948

-31.58%

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

$48.83 $48.83

$43.17 NOK 401

13.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.2 $68.2

$75.4 NOK 700

-9.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.5 $70.5

$42.29 NOK 393

66.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.87 $6.87

$46.17 NOK 429

-85.12%

Cinema Ticket

$15.23 $15.23

$17.30 NOK 161

-11.97%

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

$2,184 $2,184

$326 NOK 3,030

569.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.5K $32.5K

$8,458 NOK 78.6K

283.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.4 $68.4

$113 NOK 1,051

-39.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.09 $46.09

$48.03 NOK 446

-4.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$130 NOK 1,206

-22.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 $151

$132 NOK 1,229

14.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,234 $2,234

$1,407 NOK 13.1K

58.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,227 $2,227

$1,080 NOK 10.0K

106.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,581 $4,581

$2,208 NOK 20.5K

107.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,964 $3,964

$1,702 NOK 15.8K

132.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,086 $8,086

$6,371 NOK 59.2K

26.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,942 $7,942

$5,083 NOK 47.2K

56.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,877 $6,877

$4,336 NOK 40.3K

58.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

4.32

50.69%

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

Last update for Berkeley, CA: June 1, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,234 in Berkeley, CA versus $1,407 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 59% 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 $98.0 in Berkeley, CA versus $122 in Trondheim. Groceries tell a different story – $525 in Berkeley, CA vs $488 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 41%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,816 per month in Berkeley, CA and $4,122 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 7% less in Trondheim. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,184 per month in Berkeley, CA and $326 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 $3,878 in Berkeley, CA and $2,748 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.