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: $4,022 in Redwood City, CA versus $2,794 in Trondheim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,909 in Redwood City, CA versus $4,158 in Trondheim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,797 in Redwood City, CA versus $5,521 in Trondheim.

Living in Redwood City, CA is roughly 44% more expensive than Trondheim, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Redwood City, CA 200% above, Trondheim 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.86 $27.86

$22.32 NOK 208

24.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100.0 $100.0

$121 NOK 1,127

-17.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.40 $14.40

$14.30 NOK 133

0.70%

Cappuccino

$4.79 $4.79

$4.67 NOK 43.55

2.57%

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

$2.60 $2.60

$3.66 NOK 34.10

-28.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.89 NOK 26.90

-24.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 $5.92

$10.79 NOK 101

-45.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 $6.96

$11.44 NOK 107

-39.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 $1.40

$2.52 NOK 23.51

-44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 $2.33

$3.60 NOK 33.53

-35.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.57 $5.57

$3.86 NOK 35.93

44.30%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.55 NOK 42.37

4.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 $7.95

$12.19 NOK 114

-34.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.02 $15.02

$15.17 NOK 141

-0.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.83 $16.83

$28.24 NOK 263

-40.40%

Apples (1kg)

$6.45 $6.45

$3.88 NOK 36.13

66.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$3.00 NOK 27.92

-24.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$2.67 NOK 24.88

40.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$5.03 NOK 46.86

-40.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.97 NOK 27.73

-20.20%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.34 NOK 31.09

4.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$3.24 NOK 30.20

-35.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 $3.10

$2.53 NOK 23.59

22.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.09 $9.09

$15.40 NOK 143

-40.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.83 $11.83

$19.08 NOK 178

-38.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$3.66 NOK 34.10

-52.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 $3.97

$4.73 NOK 44.05

-16.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$7.21 $7.21

$4.69 NOK 43.68

53.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 $75.0

$93.3 NOK 870

-19.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 $3.40

$15.00 NOK 140

-77.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.16 NOK 20.16

-13.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.22 $39.22

$88.6 NOK 826

-55.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$2.13 NOK 19.86

-39.91%

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

$23.4K $23.4K

$32.0K NOK 298.2K

-26.80%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$41.8K NOK 389.9K

-38.80%

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

$194 $194

$318 NOK 2,962

-38.97%

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

$50.8 $50.8

$41.68 NOK 388

21.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 $70.1

$76.9 NOK 717

-8.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$177 $177

$42.83 NOK 399

313.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.79 NOK 445

Cinema Ticket

$14.63 $14.63

$17.29 NOK 161

-15.38%

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

$2,790 $2,790

$329 NOK 3,069

747.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.4K $38.4K

$8,501 NOK 79.2K

352.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 $61.0

$110 NOK 1,022

-44.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.4 $61.4

$47.69 NOK 444

28.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 $89.3

$129 NOK 1,202

-30.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$132 NOK 1,228

-23.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,195 $4,195

$1,386 NOK 12.9K

202.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 $2,488

$1,065 NOK 9,928

133.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,570 $5,570

$2,218 NOK 20.7K

151.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,300 $4,300

$1,676 NOK 15.6K

156.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,199 NOK 57.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 NOK 45.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,175 $8,175

$4,339 NOK 40.4K

88.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

4.32

51.62%

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

Last update for Redwood City, CA: April 25, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,195 in Redwood City, CA and $1,386 in Trondheim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Redwood City, CA pays 88% 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: $100 in Redwood City, CA vs $121 in Trondheim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $404 vs $490 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 44% in total monthly costs ($4,022 vs $2,794 including rent). Trondheim is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Redwood City, CA pays 88% 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: $4,195 in Redwood City, CA versus $1,386 in Trondheim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Redwood City, CA pay roughly 21% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Trondheim – a meal for two runs $121 versus $100 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 44% less than in Redwood City, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.