Cost of Living Comparison Between Longyearbyen and Trondheim Cost of Living Comparison Between Longyearbyen and Trondheim

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,184 in Longyearbyen versus $2,748 in Trondheim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,519 in Longyearbyen versus $4,158 in Trondheim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,853 in Longyearbyen versus $5,569 in Trondheim.

Living in Longyearbyen costs roughly 21% less than in Trondheim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Longyearbyen 63% above, Trondheim 105% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.54 NOK 191

$22.17 NOK 206

-7.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 NOK 947

$122 NOK 1,137

-16.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.80 NOK 128

$14.43 NOK 134

-4.37%

Cappuccino

$6.14 NOK 57.0

$4.84 NOK 45.00

26.86%

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

$3.64 NOK 33.80

$3.58 NOK 33.30

1.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 NOK 35.85

$2.91 NOK 27.02

32.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.33 NOK 68.1

$10.67 NOK 99.2

-31.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.56 NOK 88.8

$11.42 NOK 106

-16.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.01 NOK 27.96

$2.60 NOK 24.19

15.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 NOK 31.44

$3.50 NOK 32.48

-3.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 NOK 29.53

$3.84 NOK 35.70

-17.19%

Eggs

$4.90 NOK 45.55

$4.43 NOK 41.15

10.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 NOK 99.2

$12.20 NOK 113

-12.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.80 NOK 137

$14.90 NOK 138

-0.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.22 NOK 262

$28.82 NOK 268

-2.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 NOK 30.89

$3.85 NOK 35.80

-13.51%

Banana (1kg)

$3.06 NOK 28.45

$2.95 NOK 27.37

3.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 NOK 29.48

$2.64 NOK 24.49

20.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 NOK 42.73

$5.18 NOK 48.10

-11.20%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 NOK 29.82

$2.89 NOK 26.87

11.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.52 NOK 32.70

$3.28 NOK 30.49

7.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 NOK 17.28

$3.17 NOK 29.41

-41.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 NOK 6.11

$2.39 NOK 22.18

-72.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.91 NOK 138

$15.01 NOK 139

-0.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.22 NOK 141

$18.82 NOK 175

-19.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 NOK 30.31

$3.84 NOK 35.65

-15.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 NOK 38.09

$4.67 NOK 43.37

-12.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.37 NOK 40.59

$4.65 NOK 43.20

-6.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.3 NOK 690

$91.3 NOK 848

-18.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.02 NOK 93.1

$15.44 NOK 143

-35.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 NOK 9.45

$2.28 NOK 21.15

-55.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.43 NOK 431

$87.6 NOK 814

-46.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 NOK 19.42

$2.17 NOK 20.14

-3.69%

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

$35.2K NOK 327.2K

$32.0K NOK 297.3K

10.08%

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

$38.8K NOK 360.4K

$41.8K NOK 388.2K

-7.16%

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

$75.3 NOK 699

$317 NOK 2,948

-76.29%

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

$38.77 NOK 360

$43.17 NOK 401

-10.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.58 NOK 461

$75.4 NOK 700

-34.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 NOK 466

$42.29 NOK 393

18.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.51 NOK 330

$46.17 NOK 429

-23.09%

Cinema Ticket

$12.06 NOK 112

$17.30 NOK 161

-30.29%

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

$279 NOK 2,595

$326 NOK 3,030

-14.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,997 NOK 92.9K

$8,458 NOK 78.6K

18.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.4 NOK 877

$113 NOK 1,051

-16.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 NOK 488

$48.03 NOK 446

9.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 NOK 1,018

$130 NOK 1,206

-15.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 NOK 1,400

$132 NOK 1,229

13.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$700 NOK 6,506

$1,407 NOK 13.1K

-50.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$884 NOK 8,214

$1,080 NOK 10.0K

-18.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,809 NOK 16.8K

$2,208 NOK 20.5K

-18.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 NOK 14.5K

$1,702 NOK 15.8K

-8.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,164 NOK 57.3K

$6,371 NOK 59.2K

-3.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,449 NOK 41.3K

$5,083 NOK 47.2K

-12.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,954 NOK 27.4K

$4,336 NOK 40.3K

-31.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

4.32

1.39%

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

Last update for Longyearbyen: June 1, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $700 in Longyearbyen and $1,407 in Trondheim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Trondheim pays 47% 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: $102 in Longyearbyen vs $122 in Trondheim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $445 vs $488 per month, with Longyearbyen 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

Longyearbyen vs Trondheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Longyearbyen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Trondheim earns 47% less. 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: $700 in Longyearbyen versus $1,407 in Trondheim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Longyearbyen runs roughly 23% less than in Trondheim. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $279 in Longyearbyen versus $326 in Trondheim. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,184 in Longyearbyen versus $2,748 in Trondheim, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Longyearbyen but tight or insufficient in Trondheim. The gap between the two cities makes Longyearbyen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Longyearbyen 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, Longyearbyen 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 Longyearbyen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Trondheim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.