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: $2,431 in Mandal versus $2,748 in Trondheim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,864 in Mandal versus $4,158 in Trondheim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,296 in Mandal versus $5,569 in Trondheim.

Living in Mandal costs roughly 12% less than in Trondheim, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mandal 81% above, Trondheim 105% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.44 NOK 236

$22.17 NOK 206

14.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 NOK 1,150

$122 NOK 1,137

1.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.44 NOK 143

$14.43 NOK 134

7.00%

Cappuccino

$5.06 NOK 47.04

$4.84 NOK 45.00

4.55%

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

$3.94 NOK 36.60

$3.58 NOK 33.30

10.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 NOK 30.42

$2.91 NOK 27.02

12.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.19 NOK 104

$10.67 NOK 99.2

4.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.14 NOK 94.2

$11.42 NOK 106

-11.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 20.21

$2.60 NOK 24.19

-16.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 NOK 29.55

$3.50 NOK 32.48

-9.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.41 NOK 40.97

$3.84 NOK 35.70

14.84%

Eggs

$3.09 NOK 28.70

$4.43 NOK 41.15

-30.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.14 NOK 122

$12.20 NOK 113

7.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.19 NOK 150

$14.90 NOK 138

8.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.16 NOK 252

$28.82 NOK 268

-5.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 NOK 33.16

$3.85 NOK 35.80

-7.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 NOK 24.22

$2.95 NOK 27.37

-11.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NOK 28.06

$2.64 NOK 24.49

14.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.62 NOK 42.93

$5.18 NOK 48.10

-10.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 NOK 20.19

$2.89 NOK 26.87

-24.91%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 NOK 28.51

$3.28 NOK 30.49

-6.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 NOK 14.45

$3.17 NOK 29.41

-50.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 NOK 17.10

$2.39 NOK 22.18

-23.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.01 NOK 139

Wine (Bottle)

$19.27 NOK 179

$18.82 NOK 175

2.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 NOK 28.06

$3.84 NOK 35.65

-21.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 NOK 26.46

$4.67 NOK 43.37

-38.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.18 NOK 38.81

$4.65 NOK 43.20

-10.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 NOK 675

$91.3 NOK 848

-20.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 NOK 52.6

$15.44 NOK 143

-63.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 NOK 9.72

$2.28 NOK 21.15

-53.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$99.4 NOK 923

$87.6 NOK 814

13.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 NOK 19.45

$2.17 NOK 20.14

-3.69%

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

$34.7K NOK 322.6K

$32.0K NOK 297.3K

8.51%

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

$32.3K NOK 300.2K

$41.8K NOK 388.2K

-22.67%

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

$191 NOK 1,771

$317 NOK 2,948

-39.92%

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

$32.72 NOK 304

$43.17 NOK 401

-24.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.8 NOK 750

$75.4 NOK 700

7.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.40 NOK 459

$42.29 NOK 393

16.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.73 NOK 332

$46.17 NOK 429

-22.61%

Cinema Ticket

$19.54 NOK 182

$17.30 NOK 161

12.95%

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

$313 NOK 2,910

$326 NOK 3,030

-3.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NOK 119.7K

$8,458 NOK 78.6K

52.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 NOK 1,088

$113 NOK 1,051

3.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.6 NOK 554

$48.03 NOK 446

24.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 NOK 968

$130 NOK 1,206

-19.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 NOK 1,463

$132 NOK 1,229

18.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,229 NOK 11.4K

$1,407 NOK 13.1K

-12.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$911 NOK 8,459

$1,080 NOK 10.0K

-15.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 NOK 16.8K

$2,208 NOK 20.5K

-18.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 NOK 14.2K

$1,702 NOK 15.8K

-10.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,616 NOK 52.2K

$6,371 NOK 59.2K

-11.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,514 NOK 41.9K

$5,083 NOK 47.2K

-11.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,453 NOK 41.4K

$4,336 NOK 40.3K

2.69%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,229 in Mandal and $1,407 in Trondheim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mandal pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $124 in Mandal vs $122 in Trondheim. Groceries flip the comparison at $454 vs $488, 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 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mandal pays 3% more on average, 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: $1,229 in Mandal versus $1,407 in Trondheim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,431 per month in Mandal versus $2,748 in Trondheim – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mandal runs roughly 26% less than in Trondheim. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,431 in Mandal versus $2,748 in Trondheim, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Mandal but tight or insufficient in Trondheim. The gap between the two cities makes Mandal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 13% less than in Trondheim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.