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: $2,418 in Mandal versus $2,780 in Trondheim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,777 in Mandal versus $4,125 in Trondheim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,136 in Mandal versus $5,471 in Trondheim.

Living in Mandal costs roughly 13% less than in Trondheim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mandal 81% above, Trondheim 108% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.65 NOK 247

$22.76 NOK 219

12.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 NOK 1,176

$120 NOK 1,151

2.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.34 NOK 148

$14.31 NOK 138

7.20%

Cappuccino

$5.21 NOK 50.2

$4.67 NOK 45.01

11.56%

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

$4.03 NOK 38.80

$3.54 NOK 34.11

13.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 NOK 32.70

$3.00 NOK 28.85

13.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.32 NOK 109

$10.77 NOK 104

5.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.02 NOK 96.5

$11.45 NOK 110

-12.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 NOK 20.42

$2.65 NOK 25.56

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.00 NOK 28.92

$3.59 NOK 34.57

-16.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.52 NOK 43.49

$3.81 NOK 36.71

18.64%

Eggs

$2.97 NOK 28.62

$4.42 NOK 42.55

-32.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 NOK 128

$12.33 NOK 119

7.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.19 NOK 156

$14.88 NOK 143

8.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.05 NOK 261

$27.83 NOK 268

-2.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 NOK 33.15

$3.77 NOK 36.27

-8.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 NOK 24.66

$2.89 NOK 27.81

-11.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 NOK 30.05

$2.69 NOK 25.88

15.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 NOK 46.14

$5.28 NOK 50.8

-9.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 NOK 19.89

$2.91 NOK 28.01

-29.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 NOK 29.49

$3.21 NOK 30.90

-4.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 NOK 14.75

$3.24 NOK 31.21

-52.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 NOK 17.05

$2.52 NOK 24.31

-29.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.41 NOK 148

$15.47 NOK 149

-0.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.86 NOK 172

$18.24 NOK 176

-2.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 NOK 28.72

$3.77 NOK 36.36

-20.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 NOK 27.27

$4.67 NOK 45.01

-39.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.34 NOK 41.79

$4.54 NOK 43.77

-4.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.8 NOK 710

$94.6 NOK 911

-22.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 NOK 53.0

$15.38 NOK 148

-64.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 NOK 9.71

$2.24 NOK 21.59

-54.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$99.6 NOK 960

$89.4 NOK 861

11.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 NOK 20.75

$2.21 NOK 21.33

-2.71%

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

$34.3K NOK 330.5K

$31.4K NOK 302.8K

9.16%

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

$33.4K NOK 321.3K

$43.3K NOK 417.5K

-23.03%

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

$193 NOK 1,863

$326 NOK 3,142

-40.72%

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

$33.83 NOK 326

$43.18 NOK 416

-21.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.2 NOK 802

$76.6 NOK 738

8.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.80 NOK 470

$42.89 NOK 413

13.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.86 NOK 345

$46.70 NOK 450

-23.21%

Cinema Ticket

$19.04 NOK 183

$17.51 NOK 169

8.74%

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

$319 NOK 3,072

$330 NOK 3,175

-3.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K NOK 123.3K

$8,333 NOK 80.3K

53.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 NOK 1,156

$110 NOK 1,062

8.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.7 NOK 575

$47.54 NOK 458

25.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 NOK 995

$126 NOK 1,211

-17.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 NOK 1,536

$129 NOK 1,246

23.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 NOK 11.8K

$1,378 NOK 13.3K

-11.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$882 NOK 8,500

$1,060 NOK 10.2K

-16.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,839 NOK 17.7K

$2,251 NOK 21.7K

-18.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 NOK 14.7K

$1,660 NOK 16.0K

-8.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,630 NOK 63.9K

$6,307 NOK 60.8K

5.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,911 NOK 37.7K

$4,811 NOK 46.3K

-18.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,139 NOK 39.9K

$4,102 NOK 39.5K

0.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

4.32

4.40%

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

Last update for Mandal: July 11, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,221 in Mandal and $1,378 in Trondheim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mandal pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $122 in Mandal vs $120 in Trondheim. Groceries flip the comparison at $448 vs $487, with Mandal 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

Mandal vs Trondheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandal is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 1% 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: $1,221 in Mandal versus $1,378 in Trondheim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,418 per month in Mandal versus $2,780 in Trondheim – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mandal runs roughly 28% 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 15% less than in Trondheim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.