Cost of Living Comparison Between Redwood City, CA and Trondheim Cost of Living Comparison Between Redwood City, CA and Trondheim

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,171 in Redwood City, CA versus $2,922 in Trondheim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,185 in Redwood City, CA versus $4,248 in Trondheim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,198 in Redwood City, CA versus $5,574 in Trondheim.

Living in Redwood City, CA is roughly 43% more expensive than in Trondheim, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Redwood City, CA 204% above, Trondheim 113% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.89 $22.89

$20.74 NOK 194

10.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 $112

$120 NOK 1,121

-7.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.04 $13.04

$15.80 NOK 148

-17.47%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$5.72 NOK 53.4

-2.80%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$5.62 NOK 52.5

-42.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$4.13 NOK 38.61

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.02 $8.02

$12.64 NOK 118

-36.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.93 $8.93

$13.13 NOK 123

-31.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.53 NOK 23.59

-41.11%

White Bread (500g)

$5.23 $5.23

$3.44 NOK 32.10

52.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.41 $5.41

$3.67 NOK 34.29

47.41%

Eggs

$7.61 $7.61

$4.80 NOK 44.80

58.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.10 $15.10

$13.29 NOK 124

13.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.53 $10.53

$16.85 NOK 157

-37.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.96 $19.96

$31.97 NOK 299

-37.57%

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 $6.69

$3.99 NOK 37.30

67.67%

Banana (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.86 NOK 26.68

5.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$3.76 NOK 35.13

28.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.35 $6.35

$5.76 NOK 53.8

10.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.93 NOK 27.37

12.97%

Onion (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$3.04 NOK 28.34

31.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.86 NOK 26.68

6.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.33 NOK 21.74

22.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.83 $11.83

$17.87 NOK 167

-33.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.28 $20.28

$18.91 NOK 177

7.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.54 NOK 33.03

-25.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$4.52 NOK 42.23

-23.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.72 $4.72

$4.89 NOK 45.67

-3.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 NOK 936

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 $4.05

$9.62 NOK 89.9

-57.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.63 NOK 15.20

-21.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.29 $38.29

$60.7 NOK 567

-36.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.34 NOK 21.87

-38.89%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$46.5K NOK 434.1K

-21.03%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$45.7K NOK 426.7K

-41.54%

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

$241 $241

$271 NOK 2,530

-10.97%

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

$53.5 $53.5

$36.81 NOK 344

45.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$84.5 NOK 789

-18.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$237 $237

$43.14 NOK 403

448.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.42 $30.42

$40.84 NOK 381

-25.51%

Cinema Ticket

$17.69 $17.69

$20.61 NOK 192

-14.17%

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

$2,946 $2,946

$302 NOK 2,822

874.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.2K $42.2K

$4,386 NOK 41.0K

861.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.69 $45.69

$108 NOK 1,010

-57.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.82 $24.82

$51.4 NOK 480

-51.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$121 NOK 1,126

-16.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$157 NOK 1,466

-26.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,221 $4,221

$1,516 NOK 14.2K

178.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 $2,465

$1,223 NOK 11.4K

101.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,798 $5,798

$2,272 NOK 21.2K

155.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,411 $4,411

$1,678 NOK 15.7K

162.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,500 NOK 60.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,039 NOK 47.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,101 $8,101

$4,457 NOK 41.6K

81.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

5.32

19.92%

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

Last update for Redwood City, CA: August 16, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,221 in Redwood City, CA and $1,516 in Trondheim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Redwood City, CA pays 82% 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: $112 in Redwood City, CA vs $120 in Trondheim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $505 vs $513 per month, with Redwood City, CA 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

Redwood City, CA vs Trondheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Redwood City, CA and Trondheim differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($4,171 vs $2,922 including rent). Trondheim is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 82% higher in Redwood City, CA, 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: $4,221 in Redwood City, CA versus $1,516 in Trondheim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,946 in Redwood City, CA versus $302 in Trondheim. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Trondheim – a meal for two runs $120 versus $112 in Redwood City, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Redwood City, CA 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 43% less than in Redwood City, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.