🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,531 in Sarpsborg versus $2,745 in Trondheim.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,800 in Sarpsborg versus $4,170 in Trondheim.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,068 in Sarpsborg versus $5,595 in Trondheim.
🌍Living in Sarpsborg costs roughly 8% less than in Trondheim, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sarpsborg90% above, Trondheim106% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$38.33NOK 368
$22.21NOK 213
72.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$92.9NOK 891
$123NOK 1,175
-24.20%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$18.37NOK 176
$14.44NOK 139
27.22%
Cappuccino
$5.45NOK 52.3
$4.82NOK 46.28
13.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74NOK 26.26
$3.67NOK 35.25
-25.34%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50NOK 23.96
$2.99NOK 28.67
-16.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.92NOK 56.8
$10.80NOK 104
-45.19%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.85NOK 75.3
$11.45NOK 110
-31.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.25NOK 21.60
$2.51NOK 24.07
-10.36%
White Bread(500g)
$3.43NOK 32.87
$3.65NOK 34.98
-6.03%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.30NOK 31.69
$3.86NOK 37.05
-14.51%
Eggs
$4.35NOK 41.68
$4.59NOK 44.00
-5.23%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.81NOK 113
$12.21NOK 117
-3.28%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.83NOK 142
$14.92NOK 143
-0.60%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$27.38NOK 263
$28.37NOK 272
-3.49%
Apples(1kg)
$3.53NOK 33.89
$3.77NOK 36.18
-6.37%
Banana(1kg)
$2.49NOK 23.86
$2.97NOK 28.54
-16.16%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.31NOK 31.78
$2.64NOK 25.29
25.38%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.40NOK 42.21
$5.01NOK 48.05
-12.18%
Potato(1kg)
$2.45NOK 23.51
$2.97NOK 28.53
-17.51%
Onion(1kg)
$2.56NOK 24.60
$3.22NOK 30.88
-20.50%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.76NOK 26.52
$3.20NOK 30.68
-13.75%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.82NOK 17.41
$2.50NOK 23.95
-27.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$15.07NOK 145
$15.41NOK 148
-2.21%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.63NOK 160
$18.42NOK 177
-9.72%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.28NOK 31.48
$3.66NOK 35.09
-10.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.98NOK 38.21
$4.84NOK 46.40
-17.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.51NOK 24.12
$4.57NOK 43.88
-45.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$73.1NOK 701
$93.7NOK 899
-22.07%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$10.02NOK 96.1
$15.40NOK 148
-34.94%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.45NOK 13.93
$2.26NOK 21.65
-35.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$46.91NOK 450
$89.5NOK 858
-47.57%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.08NOK 19.92
$2.12NOK 20.29
-1.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.1KNOK 346.1K
$32.4KNOK 310.4K
11.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.2KNOK 376.1K
$43.1KNOK 413.7K
-9.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$238NOK 2,282
$323NOK 3,094
-26.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.73NOK 372
$43.23NOK 415
-10.41%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.2NOK 529
$76.7NOK 736
-28.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$49.40NOK 474
$42.53NOK 408
16.15%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.87NOK 334
$46.79NOK 449
-25.48%
Cinema Ticket
$16.78NOK 161
$17.26NOK 166
-2.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$288NOK 2,761
$321NOK 3,079
-10.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.1KNOK 97.0K
$8,375NOK 80.3K
20.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.4NOK 915
$110NOK 1,057
-13.43%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.7NOK 506
$47.48NOK 455
11.04%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$106NOK 1,021
$128NOK 1,229
-16.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$151NOK 1,449
$132NOK 1,263
14.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,192NOK 11.4K
$1,371NOK 13.2K
-13.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$885NOK 8,493
$1,079NOK 10.3K
-17.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,532NOK 14.7K
$2,269NOK 21.8K
-32.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,290NOK 12.4K
$1,685NOK 16.2K
-23.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,754NOK 55.2K
$6,109NOK 58.6K
-5.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,063NOK 39.0K
$4,952NOK 47.5K
-17.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,612NOK 25.1K
$4,148NOK 39.8K
-37.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.38
4.32
1.39%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sarpsborg: July 27, 2026
Last update for Trondheim: July 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,192 in Sarpsborg and $1,371 in Trondheim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Trondheim pays 59% 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: $93.0 in Sarpsborg vs $123 in Trondheim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $450 vs $487 per month, with Sarpsborg 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
Sarpsborg vs Trondheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Sarpsborg or Trondheim?
Sarpsborg wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Trondheim. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sarpsborg the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Sarpsborg or in Trondheim?
On paper, salaries run 59% lower in Trondheim. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Sarpsborg compared to Trondheim?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,192 in Sarpsborg versus $1,371 in Trondheim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Sarpsborg compared to Trondheim?
A monthly transit pass in Sarpsborg runs roughly 28% less than in Trondheim. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Sarpsborg and in Trondheim?
Childcare runs $288 in Sarpsborg versus $321 in Trondheim. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Sarpsborg or in Trondheim?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Sarpsborg is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Sarpsborg or Trondheim?
Both work as nomad bases, but Sarpsborg delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,531 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sarpsborg hard to pass up.
How safe is Sarpsborg compared to Trondheim?
Safety-wise, Sarpsborg 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Sarpsborg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Trondheim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.