Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kirkenes and Trondheim

For one person, living is cheaper in Kirkenes: $2,679 a month against $2,827 in Trondheim, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kirkenes
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,679
/mo nomad
Trondheim
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,827
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kirkenes and in Trondheim

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kirkenes and in Trondheim actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,679 per month in Kirkenes vs $2,827 in Trondheim, rent included.

  • Kirkenes $2,679
  • Trondheim $2,827

A couple spends around $3,989 per month in Kirkenes vs $4,156 in Trondheim, rent included.

  • Kirkenes $3,989
  • Trondheim $4,156

A family of three spends $5,300 per month in Kirkenes vs $5,485 in Trondheim, rent included.

  • Kirkenes $5,300
  • Trondheim $5,485

Kirkenes is about 5% cheaper than Trondheim, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Kirkenes and Trondheim sit above the global median – Kirkenes by 98%, Trondheim by 109%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kirkenes
Trondheim
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.00 NOK 217
$20.78 NOK 196
10.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.8 NOK 836
$104 NOK 982
-14.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.53 NOK 127
$15.59 NOK 147
-13.21%
Cappuccino
$4.97 NOK 46.78
$5.39 NOK 50.7
-7.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 NOK 35.09
$5.67 NOK 53.4
-34.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 NOK 27.31
$4.30 NOK 40.47
-32.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$12.21 NOK 115
$13.06 NOK 123
-6.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.51 NOK 98.9
$12.63 NOK 119
-16.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kirkenes
Trondheim
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.35 NOK 22.11
$2.42 NOK 22.80
-2.89%
White Bread (500g)
$3.60 NOK 33.92
$3.31 NOK 31.20
8.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.76 NOK 35.43
$3.74 NOK 35.21
0.53%
Eggs
$5.29 NOK 49.82
$4.75 NOK 44.75
11.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.19 NOK 134
$12.99 NOK 122
9.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.68 NOK 166
$16.19 NOK 152
9.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$30.00 NOK 282
$31.12 NOK 293
-3.60%
Apples (1kg)
$3.34 NOK 31.41
$3.94 NOK 37.08
-15.23%
Banana (1kg)
$2.43 NOK 22.90
$2.80 NOK 26.39
-13.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.80 NOK 35.79
$3.75 NOK 35.35
1.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.87 NOK 45.87
$5.45 NOK 51.3
-10.64%
Potato (1kg)
$2.27 NOK 21.34
$2.89 NOK 27.16
-21.45%
Onion (1kg)
$2.85 NOK 26.80
$2.97 NOK 27.96
-4.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.08 NOK 29.02
$2.94 NOK 27.63
4.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.52 NOK 23.74
$2.29 NOK 21.53
10.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$19.76 NOK 186
$17.27 NOK 163
14.42%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.50 NOK 155
$18.04 NOK 170
-8.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.26 NOK 30.68
$3.44 NOK 32.42
-5.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 NOK 36.80
$4.45 NOK 41.85
-12.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Kirkenes
Trondheim
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.34 NOK 40.84
$4.66 NOK 43.84
-6.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$84.4 NOK 795
$99.3 NOK 935
-15.00%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$11.85 NOK 112
$9.40 NOK 88.5
26.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.72 NOK 16.24
$1.61 NOK 15.20
6.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$61.0 NOK 574
$60.2 NOK 567
1.31%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 NOK 21.17
$2.40 NOK 22.63
-6.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$52.4K NOK 493.2K
$44.9K NOK 422.5K
16.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$47.0K NOK 442.9K
$45.6K NOK 428.8K
3.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kirkenes
Trondheim
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$303 NOK 2,851
$266 NOK 2,507
13.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.95 NOK 291
$35.59 NOK 335
-13.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.5 NOK 513
$82.3 NOK 775
-33.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kirkenes
Trondheim
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.9 NOK 488
$41.67 NOK 392
24.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$33.73 NOK 318
$39.68 NOK 374
-14.99%
Cinema Ticket
$17.34 NOK 163
$20.51 NOK 193
-15.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kirkenes
Trondheim
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$219 NOK 2,058
$298 NOK 2,806
-26.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.1K NOK 132.5K
$4,363 NOK 41.1K
222.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kirkenes
Trondheim
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105 NOK 985
$104 NOK 983
0.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.24 NOK 464
$49.65 NOK 467
-0.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$143 NOK 1,349
$122 NOK 1,144
17.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$162 NOK 1,522
$157 NOK 1,478
3.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kirkenes
Trondheim
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,022 NOK 9,619
$1,442 NOK 13.6K
-29.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$983 NOK 9,254
$1,123 NOK 10.6K
-12.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,990 NOK 18.7K
$2,193 NOK 20.6K
-9.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,581 NOK 14.9K
$1,675 NOK 15.8K
-5.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,084 NOK 57.3K
$6,306 NOK 59.4K
-3.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,033 NOK 38.0K
$5,032 NOK 47.4K
-19.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kirkenes
Trondheim
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,301 NOK 49.9K
$4,145 NOK 39.0K
27.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.94
5.32
-7.14%

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

Last update for Kirkenes: October 13, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kirkenes
$983
Trondheim
$1.1K 14.2% $140
Groceries & Markets
Kirkenes
$500
Trondheim
$499 0.1% $0.4
Eating Out
Kirkenes
$393
Trondheim
$408 3.9% $15
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kirkenes
$388
Trondheim
$384 1% $4
Clothing & Footwear
Kirkenes
$207
Trondheim
$195 5.7% $12
Getting Around
Kirkenes
$122
Trondheim
$135 10.8% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Kirkenes
$87
Trondheim
$83 4.4% $3.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Kirkenes versus $1,442 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 28% higher in Kirkenes, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Kirkenes versus $104 in Trondheim. Groceries tell a different story – $500 in Kirkenes vs $499 in Trondheim – so Trondheim wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇳🇴 Kirkenes
🇳🇴 Trondheim
🕒 Local time
06:42 6:42 AM
06:42 6:42 AM
Same time as Kirkenes
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,500
215,121
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NOK – Norwegian Krone Converter

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 9.41 NOK (1 NOK = 0.106 USD). 1 EUR = 10.58 NOK (100 NOK = 9.45 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kirkenes Trondheim 1,110 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kirkenes
  • Trondheim

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Kirkenes vs Trondheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Trondheim cheaper than Kirkenes?
Yes – Trondheim is pricier by about 6%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,019 per month in Kirkenes and $4,241 in Trondheim. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kirkenes, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Kirkenes or in Trondheim?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Kirkenes and $104 in Trondheim. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Kirkenes and in Trondheim?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,679 in Kirkenes and $2,827 in Trondheim. That's a gap of about 6%.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Kirkenes or in Trondheim?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Kirkenes, where all-in costs run around $2,679, than in Trondheim at $2,827. In Kirkenes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Trondheim it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Kirkenes or Trondheim more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Kirkenes – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Kirkenes or Trondheim?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Kirkenes. 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.

Kirkenes vs other spots: cost of living compared

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