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: $2,878 in Longyearbyen versus $2,990 in Trondheim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,279 in Longyearbyen versus $4,295 in Trondheim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,679 in Longyearbyen versus $5,599 in Trondheim.

Living in Longyearbyen costs roughly 4% less than in Trondheim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Longyearbyen 109% above, Trondheim 118% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.42 NOK 190

$21.21 NOK 197

-3.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 NOK 1,007

$108 NOK 1,004

0.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.36 NOK 170

$16.17 NOK 150

13.54%

Cappuccino

$7.09 NOK 65.9

$5.58 NOK 51.8

27.06%

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

$6.03 NOK 56.0

$5.81 NOK 54.0

3.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 NOK 53.8

$4.33 NOK 40.19

33.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 NOK 72.7

$13.61 NOK 126

-42.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.37 NOK 87.0

$13.10 NOK 122

-28.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.48 NOK 23.03

$2.60 NOK 24.15

-4.62%

White Bread (500g)

$5.03 NOK 46.70

$3.59 NOK 33.37

40.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.29 NOK 39.79

$3.83 NOK 35.57

12.01%

Eggs

$5.09 NOK 47.23

$5.06 NOK 47.00

0.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.31 NOK 133

$13.32 NOK 124

7.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.15 NOK 187

$16.56 NOK 154

21.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.53 NOK 283

$32.75 NOK 304

-6.78%

Apples (1kg)

$6.90 NOK 64.0

$3.97 NOK 36.87

73.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 NOK 25.65

$3.03 NOK 28.13

-8.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.31 NOK 67.9

$3.92 NOK 36.38

86.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.02 NOK 65.1

$5.64 NOK 52.4

24.47%

Potato (1kg)

$5.55 NOK 51.6

$2.88 NOK 26.76

92.71%

Onion (1kg)

$4.73 NOK 43.96

$3.10 NOK 28.82

52.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.64 NOK 43.08

$2.99 NOK 27.77

55.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.63 NOK 33.75

$2.35 NOK 21.81

54.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.72 NOK 165

$17.92 NOK 166

-1.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.17 NOK 141

$19.02 NOK 177

-20.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.64 NOK 33.83

$3.73 NOK 34.60

-2.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 NOK 41.47

$4.52 NOK 41.99

-1.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.08 NOK 47.15

$4.76 NOK 44.21

6.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.3 NOK 867

$102 NOK 952

-8.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.56 NOK 88.7

$9.75 NOK 90.5

-1.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 NOK 17.27

$1.65 NOK 15.31

12.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.0 NOK 603

$59.9 NOK 556

8.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 NOK 20.31

$2.30 NOK 21.35

-4.78%

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

$45.9K NOK 426.0K

$45.8K NOK 425.2K

0.19%

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

$50.4K NOK 467.6K

$46.7K NOK 433.7K

7.82%

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

$266 NOK 2,473

$276 NOK 2,564

-3.55%

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

$33.06 NOK 307

$36.40 NOK 338

-9.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.4 NOK 533

$83.3 NOK 773

-31.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.4 NOK 468

$43.49 NOK 404

15.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.86 NOK 342

$41.47 NOK 385

-11.12%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 NOK 166

$21.11 NOK 196

-15.25%

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

$267 NOK 2,477

$303 NOK 2,812

-11.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K NOK 96.2K

$4,410 NOK 40.9K

134.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 NOK 938

$110 NOK 1,021

-8.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 NOK 524

$51.5 NOK 478

9.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 NOK 1,170

$125 NOK 1,158

1.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 NOK 1,478

$158 NOK 1,462

1.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 NOK 10.6K

$1,508 NOK 14.0K

-23.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 NOK 9,511

$1,209 NOK 11.2K

-15.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 NOK 18.9K

$2,241 NOK 20.8K

-8.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,723 NOK 16.0K

$1,685 NOK 15.6K

2.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,518 NOK 60.5K

$6,577 NOK 61.1K

-0.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,228 NOK 39.3K

$5,047 NOK 46.9K

-16.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,955 NOK 27.4K

$4,203 NOK 39.0K

-29.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.96

5.32

-6.77%

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

Last update for Longyearbyen: August 31, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,146 in Longyearbyen and $1,508 in Trondheim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Trondheim pays 42% 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: $108 in Longyearbyen vs $108 in Trondheim. Groceries flip the comparison at $609 vs $521, with Trondheim cheaper for home cooking.

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 Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 42% 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: $1,146 in Longyearbyen versus $1,508 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 10% less than in Trondheim. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $267 in Longyearbyen versus $303 in Trondheim. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,878 in Longyearbyen versus $2,990 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 4% less than in Trondheim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.