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: $4,038 in Redwood City, CA versus $2,776 in Trondheim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,981 in Redwood City, CA versus $4,121 in Trondheim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,923 in Redwood City, CA versus $5,465 in Trondheim.

Living in Redwood City, CA is roughly 45% more expensive than Trondheim, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Redwood City, CA 200% above, Trondheim 107% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.99 $26.99

$22.39 NOK 213

20.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$119 NOK 1,131

-15.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.56 $14.56

$14.04 NOK 133

3.70%

Cappuccino

$5.01 $5.01

$4.72 NOK 44.83

6.14%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$3.62 NOK 34.35

-27.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.94 NOK 27.88

-26.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.10 $6.10

$10.68 NOK 101

-42.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 $6.88

$11.73 NOK 111

-41.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.64 NOK 25.03

-43.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 $2.30

$3.52 NOK 33.36

-34.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.96 NOK 37.59

46.46%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$4.56 NOK 43.28

7.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.63 $7.63

$12.35 NOK 117

-38.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.93 $14.93

$15.21 NOK 144

-1.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.13 $17.13

$28.37 NOK 269

-39.62%

Apples (1kg)

$6.75 $6.75

$3.78 NOK 35.84

78.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.83 NOK 26.84

-20.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 $3.73

$2.64 NOK 25.01

41.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$5.31 NOK 50.4

-43.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.87 NOK 27.27

-13.59%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.18 NOK 30.19

10.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$3.24 NOK 30.73

-32.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.52 NOK 23.97

24.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.77 $8.77

$15.32 NOK 145

-42.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.80 $11.80

$18.36 NOK 174

-35.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$3.72 NOK 35.28

-54.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.83 NOK 45.88

-18.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$7.12 $7.12

$4.75 NOK 45.11

49.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.9 $72.9

$93.7 NOK 889

-22.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

$14.89 NOK 141

-75.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.19 NOK 20.78

-14.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.81 $39.81

$87.8 NOK 833

-54.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.22 NOK 21.08

-42.79%

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

$23.8K $23.8K

$32.2K NOK 306.0K

-26.29%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$42.5K NOK 403.0K

-38.77%

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

$188 $188

$328 NOK 3,118

-42.69%

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

$50.2 $50.2

$43.15 NOK 410

16.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.8 $71.8

$75.0 NOK 712

-4.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$181 $181

$42.27 NOK 401

329.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.32 NOK 440

Cinema Ticket

$14.49 $14.49

$17.14 NOK 163

-15.46%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$322 NOK 3,059

752.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.2K $38.2K

$8,553 NOK 81.2K

346.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 $58.8

$113 NOK 1,076

-48.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 $61.1

$47.89 NOK 455

27.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 $91.6

$126 NOK 1,195

-27.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 $100

$134 NOK 1,269

-25.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,297 $4,297

$1,396 NOK 13.2K

207.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 $2,470

$1,055 NOK 10.0K

134.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,472 $5,472

$2,233 NOK 21.2K

145.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,257 $4,257

$1,689 NOK 16.0K

152.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,157 NOK 58.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,848 NOK 46.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,918 $7,918

$4,264 NOK 40.5K

85.69%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,297 in Redwood City, CA and $1,396 in Trondheim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Redwood City, CA pays 86% 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: $101 in Redwood City, CA vs $119 in Trondheim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $408 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 45% in total monthly costs ($4,038 vs $2,776 including rent). Trondheim is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Redwood City, CA pays 86% 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: $4,297 in Redwood City, CA versus $1,396 in Trondheim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Redwood City, CA pay roughly 20% 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 $119 versus $101 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 45% less than in Redwood City, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.