Cost of Living Comparison Between Harstad and Trondheim Cost of Living Comparison Between Harstad and Trondheim

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,470 in Harstad versus $2,791 in Trondheim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,732 in Harstad versus $4,121 in Trondheim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,993 in Harstad versus $5,452 in Trondheim.

Living in Harstad costs roughly 11% less than in Trondheim, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Harstad 85% above, Trondheim 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 NOK 130

$22.59 NOK 216

-39.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,156

$122 NOK 1,168

-1.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.25 NOK 146

$14.08 NOK 135

8.31%

Cappuccino

$6.21 NOK 59.4

$4.68 NOK 44.80

32.69%

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

$3.62 NOK 34.61

$3.63 NOK 34.79

-0.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 NOK 29.83

$2.94 NOK 28.13

6.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.99 NOK 105

$10.71 NOK 103

2.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.23 NOK 108

$11.59 NOK 111

-3.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 NOK 23.41

$2.63 NOK 25.19

-6.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 NOK 31.58

$3.52 NOK 33.72

-6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 NOK 28.88

$3.96 NOK 37.92

-23.74%

Eggs

$4.14 NOK 39.66

$4.44 NOK 42.49

-6.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.47 NOK 100

$12.26 NOK 117

-14.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.42 NOK 148

$15.27 NOK 146

0.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$37.05 NOK 355

$28.03 NOK 268

32.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 NOK 38.80

$3.73 NOK 35.69

8.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 NOK 25.51

$2.94 NOK 28.15

-9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 NOK 33.77

$2.58 NOK 24.74

36.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 NOK 44.48

$5.13 NOK 49.12

-9.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 NOK 19.70

$3.03 NOK 28.98

-32.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 NOK 18.93

$3.36 NOK 32.18

-41.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 NOK 25.57

$3.20 NOK 30.63

-16.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 NOK 16.85

$2.44 NOK 23.40

-27.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.92 NOK 143

$15.15 NOK 145

-1.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.83 NOK 152

$18.59 NOK 178

-14.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.48 NOK 33.29

$3.62 NOK 34.64

-3.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 NOK 44.96

$4.83 NOK 46.26

-2.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.11 NOK 58.5

$4.58 NOK 43.87

33.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.3 NOK 759

$91.3 NOK 874

-13.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.53 NOK 120

$15.10 NOK 145

-17.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 NOK 13.42

$2.23 NOK 21.38

-37.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.8 NOK 486

$87.9 NOK 841

-42.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 NOK 20.50

$2.12 NOK 20.27

0.94%

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

$33.3K NOK 319.0K

$31.8K NOK 304.2K

4.87%

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

$30.4K NOK 291.0K

$42.6K NOK 407.6K

-28.62%

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

$162 NOK 1,552

$319 NOK 3,054

-49.18%

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

$32.24 NOK 309

$42.81 NOK 410

-24.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.7 NOK 734

$75.4 NOK 721

1.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.64 NOK 466

$41.89 NOK 401

16.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.38 NOK 339

$46.73 NOK 447

-24.29%

Cinema Ticket

$16.78 NOK 161

$17.42 NOK 167

-3.67%

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

$334 NOK 3,194

$324 NOK 3,101

3.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,159 NOK 49.4K

$8,636 NOK 82.7K

-40.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 NOK 718

$112 NOK 1,076

-33.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.21 NOK 318

$47.40 NOK 454

-29.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 NOK 1,131

$130 NOK 1,240

-8.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 NOK 1,303

$134 NOK 1,281

1.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 NOK 12.4K

$1,361 NOK 13.0K

-4.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 NOK 9,627

$1,063 NOK 10.2K

-5.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,189 NOK 20.9K

$2,271 NOK 21.7K

-3.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,471 NOK 14.1K

$1,671 NOK 16.0K

-12.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,805 NOK 55.6K

$6,217 NOK 59.5K

-6.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,967 NOK 38.0K

$4,843 NOK 46.4K

-18.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,370 NOK 32.3K

$4,245 NOK 40.6K

-20.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

4.32

-1.16%

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

Last update for Harstad: July 20, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,298 in Harstad and $1,361 in Trondheim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Trondheim pays 26% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $121 in Harstad vs $122 in Trondheim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $480 vs $488 per month, with Harstad cheaper across the board.

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

Harstad vs Trondheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Harstad is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Trondheim. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,298 in Harstad versus $1,361 in Trondheim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Trondheim. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Harstad – a meal for two runs $121 versus $122 in Trondheim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Harstad is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Harstad is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Trondheim, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Harstad and Trondheim are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Harstad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Trondheim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.