🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,802 in Sarpsborg versus $3,009 in Trondheim.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,162 in Sarpsborg versus $4,335 in Trondheim.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,521 in Sarpsborg versus $5,661 in Trondheim.
🌍Living in Sarpsborg costs roughly 7% less than in Trondheim, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sarpsborg105% above, Trondheim120% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$40.12NOK 378
$20.98NOK 198
91.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$107NOK 1,010
$110NOK 1,036
-2.48%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$19.57NOK 184
$15.84NOK 149
23.55%
Cappuccino
$5.76NOK 54.2
$5.62NOK 52.9
2.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90NOK 27.37
$5.77NOK 54.4
-49.74%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65NOK 25.01
$4.37NOK 41.15
-39.36%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$8.82NOK 83.2
$13.62NOK 128
-35.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$11.73NOK 111
$13.21NOK 124
-11.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.36NOK 22.24
$2.59NOK 24.38
-8.88%
White Bread(500g)
$3.30NOK 31.09
$3.55NOK 33.49
-7.04%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.76NOK 35.40
$3.90NOK 36.79
-3.59%
Eggs
$5.08NOK 47.90
$4.88NOK 46.01
4.10%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.87NOK 121
$13.49NOK 127
-4.60%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$15.59NOK 147
$16.46NOK 155
-5.29%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$29.86NOK 281
$32.40NOK 305
-7.84%
Apples(1kg)
$3.49NOK 32.90
$3.89NOK 36.66
-10.28%
Banana(1kg)
$2.78NOK 26.16
$2.94NOK 27.67
-5.44%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.60NOK 33.90
$4.00NOK 37.69
-10.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.52NOK 42.58
$5.77NOK 54.3
-21.66%
Potato(1kg)
$2.60NOK 24.51
$2.89NOK 27.23
-10.03%
Onion(1kg)
$2.98NOK 28.08
$3.14NOK 29.57
-5.10%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.11NOK 29.30
$2.87NOK 27.07
8.36%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.33NOK 21.97
$2.25NOK 21.23
3.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$19.68NOK 185
$18.01NOK 170
9.27%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.86NOK 168
$19.22NOK 181
-7.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.61NOK 34.03
$3.54NOK 33.33
1.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.32NOK 40.74
$4.69NOK 44.19
-7.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.70NOK 25.46
$4.88NOK 46.00
-44.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$77.7NOK 732
$102NOK 963
-23.99%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$10.98NOK 104
$9.49NOK 89.4
15.70%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.95NOK 18.39
$1.61NOK 15.15
21.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$73.9NOK 696
$61.3NOK 577
20.57%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.18NOK 20.53
$2.38NOK 22.41
-8.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$45.0KNOK 423.6K
$47.1KNOK 444.0K
-4.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.2KNOK 378.5K
$46.4KNOK 437.1K
-13.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$273NOK 2,571
$282NOK 2,655
-3.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.00NOK 283
$36.46NOK 344
-17.72%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.3NOK 559
$83.6NOK 787
-29.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.4NOK 484
$44.16NOK 416
16.42%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$32.10NOK 302
$41.28NOK 389
-22.24%
Cinema Ticket
$16.91NOK 159
$21.08NOK 199
-19.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$253NOK 2,384
$304NOK 2,861
-16.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.2KNOK 124.2K
$4,455NOK 42.0K
195.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$97.1NOK 915
$110NOK 1,040
-12.06%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.2NOK 492
$52.7NOK 496
-0.82%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113NOK 1,065
$124NOK 1,172
-9.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$182NOK 1,711
$158NOK 1,485
15.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,257NOK 11.8K
$1,496NOK 14.1K
-15.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,038NOK 9,785
$1,236NOK 11.6K
-15.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,609NOK 15.2K
$2,253NOK 21.2K
-28.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,388NOK 13.1K
$1,690NOK 15.9K
-17.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,265NOK 59.0K
$6,555NOK 61.8K
-4.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,159NOK 39.2K
$5,105NOK 48.1K
-18.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sarpsborg
Trondheim
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,721NOK 25.6K
$4,338NOK 40.9K
-37.28%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.18
5.32
-2.63%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sarpsborg: September 15, 2026
Last update for Trondheim: September 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,257 in Sarpsborg and $1,496 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: $107 in Sarpsborg vs $110 in Trondheim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $486 vs $517 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 7% 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: $1,257 in Sarpsborg versus $1,496 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 32% 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 $253 in Sarpsborg versus $304 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 $2,802 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 7% less than in Trondheim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.