Cost of Living Comparison Between Locarno and Trondheim Cost of Living Comparison Between Locarno and Trondheim

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,806 per month in Locarno vs $2,748 in Trondheim, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,585 per month in Locarno vs $4,158 in Trondheim, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,365 per month in Locarno vs $5,569 in Trondheim, rent included.

Locarno costs about 2% more than Trondheim, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Locarno and Trondheim sit above the global median – Locarno by 109%, Trondheim by 105%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Locarno
Trondheim
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$27.84 CHF 21.95
$22.17 NOK 206
25.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$145 CHF 115
$122 NOK 1,137
18.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$16.95 CHF 13.37
$14.43 NOK 134
17.46%
Cappuccino
$4.90 CHF 3.87
$4.84 NOK 45.00
1.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.15 CHF 4.06
$3.58 NOK 33.30
43.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.54 CHF 3.58
$2.91 NOK 27.02
56.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.58 CHF 5.98
$10.67 NOK 99.2
-28.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.04 CHF 5.55
$11.42 NOK 106
-38.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Locarno
Trondheim
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.81 CHF 1.42
$2.60 NOK 24.19
-30.38%
White Bread (500g)
$2.70 CHF 2.13
$3.50 NOK 32.48
-22.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.50 CHF 1.97
$3.84 NOK 35.70
-34.90%
Eggs
$5.94 CHF 4.68
$4.43 NOK 41.15
34.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$27.66 CHF 21.80
$12.20 NOK 113
126.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.74 CHF 11.62
$14.90 NOK 138
-1.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$37.34 CHF 29.44
$28.82 NOK 268
29.56%
Apples (1kg)
$2.77 CHF 2.18
$3.85 NOK 35.80
-28.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 CHF 1.50
$2.95 NOK 27.37
-35.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.83 CHF 1.45
$2.64 NOK 24.49
-30.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.09 CHF 2.44
$5.18 NOK 48.10
-40.35%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 CHF 1.04
$2.89 NOK 26.87
-54.33%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 CHF 1.50
$3.28 NOK 30.49
-42.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.87 CHF 1.47
$3.17 NOK 29.41
-41.01%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.73 CHF 0.57
$2.39 NOK 22.18
-69.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.97 CHF 8.65
$15.01 NOK 139
-26.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.83 CHF 9.33
$18.82 NOK 175
-37.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.17 CHF 1.71
$3.84 NOK 35.65
-43.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 CHF 1.82
$4.67 NOK 43.37
-50.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Locarno
Trondheim
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.83 CHF 2.23
$4.65 NOK 43.20
-39.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$101 CHF 79.2
$91.3 NOK 848
10.05%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.63 CHF 5.23
$15.44 NOK 143
-57.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$4.11 CHF 3.24
$2.28 NOK 21.15
80.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$79.3 CHF 62.5
$87.6 NOK 814
-9.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.11 CHF 1.66
$2.17 NOK 20.14
-2.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.7K CHF 27.3K
$32.0K NOK 297.3K
8.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.4K CHF 32.7K
$41.8K NOK 388.2K
-0.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Locarno
Trondheim
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$335 CHF 264
$317 NOK 2,948
5.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.38 CHF 19.22
$43.17 NOK 401
-43.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.39 CHF 37.36
$75.4 NOK 700
-37.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Locarno
Trondheim
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$74.7 CHF 58.9
$42.29 NOK 393
76.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$30.89 CHF 24.35
$46.17 NOK 429
-33.10%
Cinema Ticket
$20.64 CHF 16.27
$17.30 NOK 161
19.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Locarno
Trondheim
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,494 CHF 1,178
$326 NOK 3,030
358.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.4K CHF 15.3K
$8,458 NOK 78.6K
129.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Locarno
Trondheim
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$114 CHF 89.7
$113 NOK 1,051
0.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 CHF 45.69
$48.03 NOK 446
20.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$122 CHF 96.0
$130 NOK 1,206
-6.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 CHF 95.9
$132 NOK 1,229
-8.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Locarno
Trondheim
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,032 CHF 813
$1,407 NOK 13.1K
-26.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,029 CHF 811
$1,080 NOK 10.0K
-4.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,418 CHF 1,906
$2,208 NOK 20.5K
9.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,275 CHF 1,794
$1,702 NOK 15.8K
33.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,538 CHF 6,731
$6,371 NOK 59.2K
34.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,439 CHF 5,076
$5,083 NOK 47.2K
26.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Locarno
Trondheim
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$7,138 CHF 5,628
$4,336 NOK 40.3K
64.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.17
4.32
-49.77%

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

Last update for Locarno: May 30, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,032 in Locarno 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 65% higher in Locarno, 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 $145 in Locarno versus $122 in Trondheim. Groceries tell a different story – $459 in Locarno vs $488 in Trondheim – so Locarno 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
Locarno vs Trondheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Trondheim cheaper than Locarno?
Yes – Locarno is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,208 per month in Locarno and $4,122 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 Trondheim, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 10% less in Trondheim. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,494 per month in Locarno and $326 in Trondheim. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for Locarno or Trondheim?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Trondheim, where all-in costs run around $2,748, than in Locarno at $2,806. In Trondheim it covers expenses comfortably, while in Locarno it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Locarno or Trondheim more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Locarno 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 Trondheim. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Locarno makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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