🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,561 in Sarpsborg versus $2,776 in Trondheim.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,771 in Sarpsborg versus $4,121 in Trondheim.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,982 in Sarpsborg versus $5,465 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: Sarpsborg91% above, Trondheim107% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$37.65NOK 357
$22.39NOK 213
68.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$92.3NOK 876
$119NOK 1,131
-22.60%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$18.53NOK 176
$14.04NOK 133
31.98%
Cappuccino
$5.28NOK 50.1
$4.72NOK 44.83
11.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68NOK 25.40
$3.62NOK 34.35
-25.97%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60NOK 24.70
$2.94NOK 27.88
-11.56%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.89NOK 55.9
$10.68NOK 101
-44.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.79NOK 73.9
$11.73NOK 111
-33.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26NOK 21.41
$2.64NOK 25.03
-14.39%
White Bread(500g)
$3.29NOK 31.18
$3.52NOK 33.36
-6.53%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.14NOK 29.85
$3.96NOK 37.59
-20.71%
Eggs
$4.37NOK 41.52
$4.56NOK 43.28
-4.17%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.93NOK 113
$12.35NOK 117
-3.40%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.93NOK 142
$15.21NOK 144
-1.84%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$28.14NOK 267
$28.37NOK 269
-0.81%
Apples(1kg)
$3.60NOK 34.19
$3.78NOK 35.84
-4.76%
Banana(1kg)
$2.47NOK 23.46
$2.83NOK 26.84
-12.72%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.32NOK 31.54
$2.64NOK 25.01
25.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.35NOK 41.26
$5.31NOK 50.4
-18.08%
Potato(1kg)
$2.48NOK 23.58
$2.87NOK 27.27
-13.59%
Onion(1kg)
$2.49NOK 23.67
$3.18NOK 30.19
-21.70%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.78NOK 26.37
$3.24NOK 30.73
-14.20%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.82NOK 17.24
$2.52NOK 23.97
-27.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$15.31NOK 145
$15.32NOK 145
-0.07%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.10NOK 181
$18.36NOK 174
4.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.40NOK 32.24
$3.72NOK 35.28
-8.60%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.99NOK 37.88
$4.83NOK 45.88
-17.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.47NOK 23.40
$4.75NOK 45.11
-48.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$74.1NOK 703
$93.7NOK 889
-20.92%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$10.15NOK 96.3
$14.89NOK 141
-31.83%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.40NOK 13.30
$2.19NOK 20.78
-36.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$45.99NOK 437
$87.8NOK 833
-47.60%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.14NOK 20.32
$2.22NOK 21.08
-3.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.1KNOK 342.9K
$32.2KNOK 306.0K
12.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.6KNOK 366.1K
$42.5KNOK 403.0K
-9.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$238NOK 2,263
$328NOK 3,118
-27.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.10NOK 362
$43.15NOK 410
-11.70%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$56.1NOK 532
$75.0NOK 712
-25.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$50.1NOK 476
$42.27NOK 401
18.62%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.13NOK 343
$46.32NOK 440
-22.00%
Cinema Ticket
$16.31NOK 155
$17.14NOK 163
-4.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$284NOK 2,692
$322NOK 3,059
-12.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.1KNOK 95.8K
$8,553NOK 81.2K
18.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$97.6NOK 926
$113NOK 1,076
-13.93%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.8NOK 501
$47.89NOK 455
10.23%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$109NOK 1,033
$126NOK 1,195
-13.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$150NOK 1,421
$134NOK 1,269
11.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,209NOK 11.5K
$1,396NOK 13.2K
-13.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$903NOK 8,572
$1,055NOK 10.0K
-14.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,492NOK 14.2K
$2,233NOK 21.2K
-33.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,319NOK 12.5K
$1,689NOK 16.0K
-21.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,022NOK 57.2K
$6,157NOK 58.4K
-2.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,474NOK 42.5K
$4,848NOK 46.0K
-7.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,685NOK 25.5K
$4,264NOK 40.5K
-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: June 8, 2026
Last update for Trondheim: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,209 in Sarpsborg and $1,396 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: $92.0 in Sarpsborg vs $119 in Trondheim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $457 vs $490 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 Trondheim?
On paper, Trondheim earns 59% less. 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 vs Trondheim?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,209 in Sarpsborg versus $1,396 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 26% 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 $284 in Sarpsborg versus $322 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 $2,561 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.