🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,496 in Sarpsborg versus $2,769 in Trondheim.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,763 in Sarpsborg versus $4,199 in Trondheim.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,030 in Sarpsborg versus $5,628 in Trondheim.
🙂Living in Sarpsborg costs roughly 10% less than in Trondheim, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sarpsborg86% above, Trondheim107% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$38.11NOK 354
$22.24NOK 207
71.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$95.2NOK 885
$120NOK 1,120
-20.96%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$18.27NOK 170
$14.02NOK 130
30.31%
Cappuccino
$5.25NOK 48.85
$4.76NOK 44.30
10.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74NOK 25.44
$3.62NOK 33.68
-24.31%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56NOK 23.79
$3.00NOK 27.86
-14.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.24NOK 58.1
$10.48NOK 97.5
-40.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.89NOK 73.4
$11.60NOK 108
-31.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.22NOK 20.61
$2.52NOK 23.44
-11.90%
White Bread(500g)
$3.28NOK 30.50
$3.46NOK 32.19
-5.20%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.32NOK 30.86
$3.86NOK 35.89
-13.99%
Eggs
$4.43NOK 41.21
$4.45NOK 41.37
-0.45%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.12NOK 113
$12.26NOK 114
-1.14%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.90NOK 139
$15.12NOK 141
-1.46%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$28.08NOK 261
$28.16NOK 262
-0.28%
Apples(1kg)
$3.48NOK 32.38
$3.90NOK 36.27
-10.77%
Banana(1kg)
$2.48NOK 23.07
$2.86NOK 26.62
-13.29%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.41NOK 31.71
$2.63NOK 24.44
29.66%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.38NOK 40.76
$5.28NOK 49.08
-17.05%
Potato(1kg)
$2.45NOK 22.76
$3.02NOK 28.12
-18.87%
Onion(1kg)
$2.54NOK 23.62
$3.35NOK 31.13
-24.18%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.75NOK 25.59
$3.14NOK 29.23
-12.42%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.92NOK 17.86
$2.52NOK 23.43
-23.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.92NOK 139
$15.30NOK 142
-2.48%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.21NOK 179
$18.44NOK 172
4.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.34NOK 31.03
$3.70NOK 34.38
-9.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.08NOK 37.91
$4.70NOK 43.74
-13.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.49NOK 23.17
$4.60NOK 42.76
-45.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$74.4NOK 691
$94.2NOK 876
-21.06%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$10.19NOK 94.8
$15.28NOK 142
-33.31%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.39NOK 12.92
$2.25NOK 20.94
-38.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$47.55NOK 442
$89.5NOK 832
-46.88%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.03NOK 18.89
$2.16NOK 20.13
-6.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.1KNOK 326.0K
$31.6KNOK 294.2K
10.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.2KNOK 354.9K
$42.2KNOK 392.6K
-9.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$240NOK 2,232
$323NOK 3,000
-25.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.83NOK 352
$42.66NOK 397
-11.32%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$56.0NOK 521
$74.3NOK 691
-24.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$49.58NOK 461
$41.93NOK 390
18.24%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.07NOK 335
$46.26NOK 430
-22.03%
Cinema Ticket
$16.71NOK 155
$17.54NOK 163
-4.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$279NOK 2,593
$328NOK 3,054
-15.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.1KNOK 93.6K
$8,586NOK 79.9K
17.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$96.6NOK 898
$110NOK 1,023
-12.23%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.3NOK 477
$47.72NOK 444
7.48%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$108NOK 1,003
$126NOK 1,170
-14.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$154NOK 1,437
$132NOK 1,230
16.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,222NOK 11.4K
$1,377NOK 12.8K
-11.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$904NOK 8,404
$1,077NOK 10.0K
-16.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,514NOK 14.1K
$2,227NOK 20.7K
-32.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,342NOK 12.5K
$1,686NOK 15.7K
-20.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,929NOK 64.4K
$6,271NOK 58.3K
10.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,477NOK 41.6K
$4,863NOK 45.2K
-7.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$4,445NOK 41.3K
-
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: April 20, 2026
Last update for Trondheim: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,222 in Sarpsborg and $1,377 in Trondheim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $95 in Sarpsborg vs $120 in Trondheim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $459 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 11% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Sarpsborg vs Trondheim?
You'd need roughly $3,744 in Sarpsborg and $4,153 in Trondheim to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Sarpsborg vs Trondheim?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,222 in Sarpsborg versus $1,377 in Trondheim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Sarpsborg vs Trondheim?
A monthly transit pass in Sarpsborg runs roughly 27% 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 Trondheim?
Childcare runs $279 in Sarpsborg versus $328 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 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 $2,496 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 11% less than in Trondheim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.