Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandal and Trondheim Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandal and Trondheim

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,864 in Mandal versus $2,990 in Trondheim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,253 in Mandal versus $4,295 in Trondheim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,642 in Mandal versus $5,599 in Trondheim.

Living in Mandal costs roughly 4% less than in Trondheim, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mandal 108% above, Trondheim 118% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.02 NOK 242

$21.21 NOK 197

22.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.5 NOK 906

$108 NOK 1,004

-9.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.79 NOK 147

$16.17 NOK 150

-2.35%

Cappuccino

$6.58 NOK 61.1

$5.58 NOK 51.8

17.92%

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

$5.54 NOK 51.4

$5.81 NOK 54.0

-4.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 NOK 40.94

$4.33 NOK 40.19

1.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.96 NOK 130

$13.61 NOK 126

2.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.33 NOK 114

$13.10 NOK 122

-5.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 NOK 21.23

$2.60 NOK 24.15

-11.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 NOK 34.75

$3.59 NOK 33.37

4.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 NOK 36.42

$3.83 NOK 35.57

2.35%

Eggs

$3.30 NOK 30.66

$5.06 NOK 47.00

-34.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.06 NOK 131

$13.32 NOK 124

5.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.95 NOK 157

$16.56 NOK 154

2.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.88 NOK 333

$32.75 NOK 304

9.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 NOK 34.57

$3.97 NOK 36.87

-6.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 NOK 26.99

$3.03 NOK 28.13

-3.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 NOK 33.19

$3.92 NOK 36.38

-8.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 NOK 46.08

$5.64 NOK 52.4

-12.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 NOK 23.66

$2.88 NOK 26.76

-11.46%

Onion (1kg)

$3.21 NOK 29.80

$3.10 NOK 28.82

3.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 NOK 14.67

$2.99 NOK 27.77

-47.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 NOK 21.38

$2.35 NOK 21.81

-2.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.16 NOK 169

$17.92 NOK 166

1.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 NOK 172

$19.02 NOK 177

-2.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.11 NOK 28.92

$3.73 NOK 34.60

-16.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 NOK 28.87

$4.52 NOK 41.99

-31.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.91 NOK 45.60

$4.76 NOK 44.21

3.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.7 NOK 749

$102 NOK 952

-21.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 NOK 54.9

$9.75 NOK 90.5

-39.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 NOK 11.69

$1.65 NOK 15.31

-23.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$105 NOK 979

$59.9 NOK 556

76.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 NOK 20.44

$2.30 NOK 21.35

-4.35%

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

$49.4K NOK 459.0K

$45.8K NOK 425.2K

7.95%

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

$42.4K NOK 393.6K

$46.7K NOK 433.7K

-9.24%

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

$247 NOK 2,292

$276 NOK 2,564

-10.59%

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

$34.96 NOK 325

$36.40 NOK 338

-3.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.7 NOK 768

$83.3 NOK 773

-0.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 NOK 471

$43.49 NOK 404

16.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.96 NOK 325

$41.47 NOK 385

-15.70%

Cinema Ticket

$21.98 NOK 204

$21.11 NOK 196

4.12%

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

$329 NOK 3,055

$303 NOK 2,812

8.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K NOK 134.3K

$4,410 NOK 40.9K

227.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$130 NOK 1,212

$110 NOK 1,021

18.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 NOK 563

$51.5 NOK 478

17.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$155 NOK 1,443

$125 NOK 1,158

24.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 NOK 1,877

$158 NOK 1,462

28.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 NOK 11.9K

$1,508 NOK 14.0K

-14.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,123 NOK 10.4K

$1,209 NOK 11.2K

-7.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,207 NOK 20.5K

$2,241 NOK 20.8K

-1.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,744 NOK 16.2K

$1,685 NOK 15.6K

3.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,510 NOK 60.4K

$6,577 NOK 61.1K

-1.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,359 NOK 40.5K

$5,047 NOK 46.9K

-13.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,421 NOK 41.0K

$4,203 NOK 39.0K

5.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.27

5.32

-0.94%

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

Last update for Mandal: August 30, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Mandal and $1,508 in Trondheim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mandal pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $98.0 in Mandal vs $108 in Trondheim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $506 vs $521 per month, with Mandal 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

Mandal vs Trondheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandal is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Mandal, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,284 in Mandal versus $1,508 in Trondheim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,864 per month in Mandal versus $2,990 in Trondheim – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mandal runs roughly 27% less than in Trondheim. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Mandal is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Mandal 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, Mandal 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 Mandal 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.