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: $3,203 in Oslo versus $2,780 in Trondheim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,686 in Oslo versus $4,125 in Trondheim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,170 in Oslo versus $5,471 in Trondheim.

Living in Oslo is roughly 15% more expensive than in Trondheim, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oslo 140% above, Trondheim 108% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.37 NOK 245

$22.76 NOK 220

11.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,164

$120 NOK 1,155

0.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.96 NOK 145

$14.31 NOK 138

4.54%

Cappuccino

$5.08 NOK 49.07

$4.67 NOK 45.17

8.78%

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

$4.10 NOK 39.66

$3.54 NOK 34.23

15.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 NOK 30.85

$3.00 NOK 28.96

6.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.37 NOK 120

$10.77 NOK 104

14.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.03 NOK 107

$11.45 NOK 111

-3.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 NOK 23.24

$2.65 NOK 25.66

-9.43%

White Bread (500g)

$4.03 NOK 39.00

$3.59 NOK 34.70

12.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.67 NOK 35.50

$3.81 NOK 36.85

-3.67%

Eggs

$4.95 NOK 47.82

$4.42 NOK 42.70

11.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.66 NOK 132

$12.33 NOK 119

10.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.41 NOK 159

$14.88 NOK 144

10.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.39 NOK 303

$27.83 NOK 269

12.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 NOK 34.85

$3.77 NOK 36.40

-4.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 25.44

$2.89 NOK 27.92

-9.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 NOK 33.39

$2.69 NOK 25.98

28.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.07 NOK 48.98

$5.28 NOK 51.0

-3.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 NOK 24.22

$2.91 NOK 28.11

-13.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 NOK 26.22

$3.21 NOK 31.02

-15.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 NOK 26.83

$3.24 NOK 31.32

-14.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 NOK 23.25

$2.52 NOK 24.40

-4.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.46 NOK 169

$15.47 NOK 150

12.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.64 NOK 180

$18.24 NOK 176

2.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.41 NOK 33.00

$3.77 NOK 36.49

-9.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 NOK 42.06

$4.67 NOK 45.17

-6.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.18 NOK 40.44

$4.54 NOK 43.93

-7.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.6 NOK 769

$94.6 NOK 914

-15.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 NOK 98.6

$15.38 NOK 149

-33.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 NOK 13.60

$2.24 NOK 21.67

-37.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.75 NOK 404

$89.4 NOK 864

-53.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.96

$2.21 NOK 21.41

2.71%

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

$36.7K NOK 354.3K

$31.4K NOK 303.9K

16.60%

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

$42.3K NOK 409.3K

$43.3K NOK 419.0K

-2.31%

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

$296 NOK 2,863

$326 NOK 3,153

-9.22%

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

$31.29 NOK 302

$43.18 NOK 417

-27.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 NOK 536

$76.6 NOK 741

-27.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 NOK 554

$42.89 NOK 415

33.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.40 NOK 275

$46.70 NOK 451

-39.19%

Cinema Ticket

$18.01 NOK 174

$17.51 NOK 169

2.86%

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

$274 NOK 2,653

$330 NOK 3,187

-16.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K NOK 141.9K

$8,333 NOK 80.6K

76.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 NOK 999

$110 NOK 1,066

-6.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.5 NOK 623

$47.54 NOK 460

35.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 NOK 1,169

$126 NOK 1,215

-3.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 NOK 1,620

$129 NOK 1,250

29.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 NOK 16.4K

$1,378 NOK 13.3K

23.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,441 NOK 13.9K

$1,060 NOK 10.3K

35.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,677 NOK 25.9K

$2,251 NOK 21.8K

18.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,180 NOK 21.1K

$1,660 NOK 16.1K

31.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.5K NOK 111.3K

$6,307 NOK 61.0K

82.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,961 NOK 67.3K

$4,811 NOK 46.5K

44.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,256 NOK 41.1K

$4,102 NOK 39.7K

3.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

4.32

17.59%

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

Last update for Oslo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,700 in Oslo and $1,378 in Trondheim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 4% 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: $120 in Oslo vs $120 in Trondheim. Groceries flip the comparison at $505 vs $487, 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

Oslo vs Trondheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Average pay runs 4% 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: $1,700 in Oslo 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 $3,203 per month in Oslo 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 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.