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: $2,261 in Longyearbyen versus $2,780 in Trondheim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,540 in Longyearbyen versus $4,125 in Trondheim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,819 in Longyearbyen versus $5,471 in Trondheim.

Living in Longyearbyen costs roughly 19% less than in Trondheim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Longyearbyen 69% above, Trondheim 108% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.26 NOK 195

$22.76 NOK 219

-10.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 NOK 968

$120 NOK 1,151

-15.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.43 NOK 129

$14.31 NOK 138

-6.15%

Cappuccino

$6.41 NOK 61.7

$4.67 NOK 45.01

37.26%

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

$3.56 NOK 34.28

$3.54 NOK 34.11

0.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 NOK 36.50

$3.00 NOK 28.85

26.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.07 NOK 68.1

$10.77 NOK 104

-34.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.54 NOK 91.8

$11.45 NOK 110

-16.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.92 NOK 28.08

$2.65 NOK 25.56

10.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 NOK 31.87

$3.59 NOK 34.57

-7.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 NOK 31.64

$3.81 NOK 36.71

-13.65%

Eggs

$4.79 NOK 46.16

$4.42 NOK 42.55

8.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.39 NOK 100

$12.33 NOK 119

-15.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.72 NOK 142

$14.88 NOK 143

-1.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.40 NOK 274

$27.83 NOK 268

2.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 NOK 30.35

$3.77 NOK 36.27

-16.45%

Banana (1kg)

$3.01 NOK 29.01

$2.89 NOK 27.81

4.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 NOK 30.20

$2.69 NOK 25.88

16.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 NOK 43.93

$5.28 NOK 50.8

-13.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.28 NOK 31.61

$2.91 NOK 28.01

12.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.34 NOK 32.13

$3.21 NOK 30.90

4.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 NOK 17.86

$3.24 NOK 31.21

-42.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 NOK 5.91

$2.52 NOK 24.31

-75.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.20 NOK 146

$15.47 NOK 149

-1.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.16 NOK 136

$18.24 NOK 176

-22.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 NOK 31.58

$3.77 NOK 36.36

-13.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 NOK 38.61

$4.67 NOK 45.01

-14.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.35 NOK 41.95

$4.54 NOK 43.77

-4.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.6 NOK 718

$94.6 NOK 911

-21.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.08 NOK 97.0

$15.38 NOK 148

-34.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 NOK 10.08

$2.24 NOK 21.59

-53.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$47.15 NOK 454

$89.4 NOK 861

-47.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 NOK 19.77

$2.21 NOK 21.33

-7.24%

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

$35.7K NOK 344.2K

$31.4K NOK 302.8K

13.69%

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

$39.2K NOK 377.3K

$43.3K NOK 417.5K

-9.61%

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

$72.8 NOK 701

$326 NOK 3,142

-77.68%

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

$37.60 NOK 362

$43.18 NOK 416

-12.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.40 NOK 466

$76.6 NOK 738

-36.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.55 NOK 477

$42.89 NOK 413

15.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.16 NOK 339

$46.70 NOK 450

-24.71%

Cinema Ticket

$12.02 NOK 116

$17.51 NOK 169

-31.35%

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

$282 NOK 2,716

$330 NOK 3,175

-14.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K NOK 99.4K

$8,333 NOK 80.3K

23.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.6 NOK 921

$110 NOK 1,062

-13.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 NOK 499

$47.54 NOK 458

8.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 NOK 1,043

$126 NOK 1,211

-13.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 NOK 1,489

$129 NOK 1,246

19.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$702 NOK 6,760

$1,378 NOK 13.3K

-49.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$902 NOK 8,685

$1,060 NOK 10.2K

-14.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 NOK 17.6K

$2,251 NOK 21.7K

-18.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,532 NOK 14.8K

$1,660 NOK 16.0K

-7.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,928 NOK 57.1K

$6,307 NOK 60.8K

-6.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,914 NOK 37.7K

$4,811 NOK 46.3K

-18.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,846 NOK 27.4K

$4,102 NOK 39.5K

-30.61%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $702 in Longyearbyen and $1,378 in Trondheim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Trondheim pays 44% 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: $101 in Longyearbyen vs $120 in Trondheim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $438 vs $487 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 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 44% 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: $702 in Longyearbyen versus $1,378 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 27% less than in Trondheim. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $282 in Longyearbyen versus $330 in Trondheim. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,261 in Longyearbyen versus $2,780 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 23% less than in Trondheim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.