Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Trondheim Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Trondheim

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,387 in Oslo versus $2,940 in Trondheim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,974 in Oslo versus $4,308 in Trondheim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,560 in Oslo versus $5,677 in Trondheim.

Living in Oslo is roughly 15% more expensive than in Trondheim, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oslo 146% above, Trondheim 113% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.27 NOK 197

$21.25 NOK 197

0.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$128 NOK 1,185

$109 NOK 1,009

17.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.44 NOK 153

$16.37 NOK 152

0.43%

Cappuccino

$5.90 NOK 54.7

$5.62 NOK 52.2

4.98%

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

$4.24 NOK 39.33

$5.80 NOK 53.8

-26.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 NOK 33.09

$4.42 NOK 40.99

-19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.07 NOK 112

$13.62 NOK 126

-11.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.80 NOK 119

$13.35 NOK 124

-4.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 NOK 23.90

$2.54 NOK 23.52

1.57%

White Bread (500g)

$4.34 NOK 40.29

$3.56 NOK 33.07

21.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.62 NOK 42.88

$3.75 NOK 34.80

23.20%

Eggs

$6.15 NOK 57.1

$5.10 NOK 47.28

20.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.72 NOK 137

$13.60 NOK 126

8.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.54 NOK 144

$16.74 NOK 155

-7.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.93 NOK 287

$32.25 NOK 299

-4.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 NOK 31.04

$3.89 NOK 36.09

-13.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 NOK 25.89

$2.92 NOK 27.04

-4.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.47 NOK 32.23

$3.87 NOK 35.86

-10.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.99 NOK 55.5

$5.84 NOK 54.2

2.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 NOK 24.95

$2.86 NOK 26.49

-5.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 NOK 26.76

$3.13 NOK 29.02

-7.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.26 NOK 30.22

$2.96 NOK 27.45

10.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 NOK 23.76

$2.24 NOK 20.81

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.43 NOK 180

$17.68 NOK 164

9.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.04 NOK 158

$19.18 NOK 178

-11.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.60 NOK 33.38

$3.63 NOK 33.65

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 NOK 40.08

$4.76 NOK 44.11

-9.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.98 NOK 46.20

$4.89 NOK 45.38

1.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.3 NOK 800

$102 NOK 949

-15.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.52 NOK 116

$9.51 NOK 88.2

31.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NOK 17.80

$1.68 NOK 15.54

14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$70.6 NOK 655

$61.7 NOK 572

14.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 NOK 20.96

$2.39 NOK 22.14

-5.44%

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

$48.7K NOK 451.7K

$46.7K NOK 433.3K

4.26%

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

$45.3K NOK 420.1K

$46.4K NOK 430.6K

-2.44%

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

$424 NOK 3,932

$284 NOK 2,634

49.31%

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

$32.72 NOK 304

$36.38 NOK 337

-10.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.1 NOK 530

$85.1 NOK 789

-32.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 NOK 559

$43.59 NOK 404

38.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.67 NOK 275

$40.83 NOK 379

-27.33%

Cinema Ticket

$19.71 NOK 183

$20.72 NOK 192

-4.87%

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

$252 NOK 2,336

$304 NOK 2,822

-17.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K NOK 150.6K

$4,496 NOK 41.7K

261.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 NOK 963

$112 NOK 1,036

-7.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 NOK 582

$51.8 NOK 480

21.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 NOK 1,247

$122 NOK 1,129

10.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 NOK 1,502

$158 NOK 1,466

2.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,043 NOK 19.0K

$1,540 NOK 14.3K

32.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 NOK 14.3K

$1,242 NOK 11.5K

24.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,027 NOK 28.1K

$2,307 NOK 21.4K

31.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,304 NOK 21.4K

$1,697 NOK 15.7K

35.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K NOK 113.6K

$6,557 NOK 60.8K

86.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,156 NOK 66.4K

$5,075 NOK 47.1K

41.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,594 NOK 42.6K

$4,285 NOK 39.8K

7.20%

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 Oslo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,043 in Oslo and $1,540 in Trondheim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 7% 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: $128 in Oslo vs $109 in Trondheim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $523 vs $519 per month, with Trondheim 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

Oslo vs Trondheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Trondheim is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 7% higher in Oslo, 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: $2,043 in Oslo versus $1,540 in Trondheim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,387 per month in Oslo versus $2,940 in Trondheim – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Trondheim runs roughly 19% less than in Oslo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Trondheim is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Trondheim is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Oslo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Oslo 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 Trondheim gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.