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: $3,141 in Oslo versus $2,748 in Trondheim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,597 in Oslo versus $4,158 in Trondheim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,053 in Oslo versus $5,569 in Trondheim.

Living in Oslo is roughly 14% more expensive than Trondheim, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oslo 134% above, Trondheim 105% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.53 NOK 238

$22.17 NOK 207

15.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 NOK 1,144

$122 NOK 1,142

0.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.15 NOK 141

$14.43 NOK 135

4.99%

Cappuccino

$4.86 NOK 45.41

$4.84 NOK 45.22

0.41%

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

$4.08 NOK 38.14

$3.58 NOK 33.46

13.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 NOK 29.79

$2.91 NOK 27.15

9.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.02 NOK 112

$10.67 NOK 99.6

12.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.22 NOK 105

$11.42 NOK 107

-1.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 NOK 22.35

$2.60 NOK 24.31

-8.08%

White Bread (500g)

$4.09 NOK 38.17

$3.50 NOK 32.64

16.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 NOK 34.19

$3.84 NOK 35.88

-4.69%

Eggs

$5.03 NOK 47.00

$4.43 NOK 41.36

13.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.46 NOK 126

$12.20 NOK 114

10.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.04 NOK 150

$14.90 NOK 139

7.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.76 NOK 287

$28.82 NOK 269

6.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 NOK 32.63

$3.85 NOK 35.98

-9.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 24.53

$2.95 NOK 27.50

-10.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 NOK 31.32

$2.64 NOK 24.61

26.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.16 NOK 48.20

$5.18 NOK 48.33

-0.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 NOK 22.69

$2.89 NOK 27.01

-15.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 NOK 25.33

$3.28 NOK 30.64

-17.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 NOK 26.61

$3.17 NOK 29.55

-10.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 NOK 21.84

$2.39 NOK 22.29

-2.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.19 NOK 160

$15.01 NOK 140

14.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.93 NOK 177

$18.82 NOK 176

0.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 NOK 31.28

$3.84 NOK 35.82

-12.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 NOK 40.87

$4.67 NOK 43.58

-6.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.31 NOK 40.20

$4.65 NOK 43.41

-7.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 NOK 727

$91.3 NOK 853

-14.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.04 NOK 93.8

$15.44 NOK 144

-34.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 NOK 12.93

$2.28 NOK 21.25

-39.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.24 NOK 394

$87.6 NOK 818

-51.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 20.34

$2.17 NOK 20.24

0.46%

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

$36.5K NOK 340.5K

$32.0K NOK 298.8K

13.97%

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

$42.7K NOK 398.5K

$41.8K NOK 390.1K

2.14%

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

$304 NOK 2,834

$317 NOK 2,963

-4.34%

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

$31.63 NOK 295

$43.17 NOK 403

-26.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 NOK 532

$75.4 NOK 703

-24.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 NOK 539

$42.29 NOK 395

36.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.64 NOK 267

$46.17 NOK 431

-37.97%

Cinema Ticket

$18.01 NOK 168

$17.30 NOK 162

4.10%

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

$274 NOK 2,556

$326 NOK 3,045

-16.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K NOK 135.8K

$8,458 NOK 79.0K

71.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 NOK 987

$113 NOK 1,056

-6.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.4 NOK 611

$48.03 NOK 448

36.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 NOK 1,158

$130 NOK 1,212

-4.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 NOK 1,572

$132 NOK 1,235

27.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 NOK 15.6K

$1,407 NOK 13.1K

18.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,446 NOK 13.5K

$1,080 NOK 10.1K

33.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,749 NOK 25.7K

$2,208 NOK 20.6K

24.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,165 NOK 20.2K

$1,702 NOK 15.9K

27.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.0K NOK 112.2K

$6,371 NOK 59.5K

88.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,295 NOK 68.1K

$5,083 NOK 47.5K

43.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,411 NOK 41.2K

$4,336 NOK 40.5K

1.72%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,671 in Oslo and $1,407 in Trondheim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 2% 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: $122 in Oslo vs $122 in Trondheim. Groceries flip the comparison at $500 vs $488, 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 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Oslo pays 2% 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: $1,671 in Oslo 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 $3,141 per month in Oslo versus $2,748 in Trondheim – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Trondheim runs roughly 17% 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 14% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.