Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Tromso Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Tromso

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,880 in Seattle, WA versus $3,190 in Tromso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,820 in Seattle, WA versus $4,751 in Tromso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,759 in Seattle, WA versus $6,312 in Tromso.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 22% more expensive than in Tromso, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 184% above, Tromso 133% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.01 $25.01

$34.61 NOK 326

-27.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.9 $99.9

$107 NOK 1,004

-6.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.06 $15.06

$16.18 NOK 152

-6.92%

Cappuccino

$6.37 $6.37

$6.72 NOK 63.3

-5.21%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$4.91 NOK 46.26

-37.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 $3.00

$3.85 NOK 36.30

-22.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.80 $7.80

$12.64 NOK 119

-38.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$13.72 NOK 129

-40.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$2.59 NOK 24.40

-53.28%

White Bread (500g)

$4.99 $4.99

$3.47 NOK 32.71

43.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$4.10 NOK 38.61

55.85%

Eggs

$5.12 $5.12

$5.39 NOK 50.8

-5.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.05 $21.05

$12.33 NOK 116

70.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$14.79 NOK 139

24.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.03 $24.03

$41.82 NOK 394

-42.54%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$4.12 NOK 38.80

42.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$3.14 NOK 29.54

-40.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$5.34 NOK 50.4

-0.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.47 $6.47

$6.08 NOK 57.3

6.41%

Potato (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$3.58 NOK 33.71

2.79%

Onion (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$4.81 NOK 45.31

-30.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.09 NOK 29.12

-9.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.13 NOK 20.04

21.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.92 $13.92

$16.76 NOK 158

-16.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$16.29 NOK 154

-7.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 $4.28

$4.13 NOK 38.93

3.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 $5.86

$5.01 NOK 47.22

16.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 $2.92

$5.04 NOK 47.46

-42.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$67.9 NOK 640

60.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$15.77 NOK 149

-83.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.20 NOK 20.76

-21.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.40 $30.40

$56.4 NOK 531

-46.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 $1.40

$2.29 NOK 21.55

-38.86%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$49.4K NOK 465.8K

-26.98%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$45.8K NOK 431.4K

-44.28%

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

$299 $299

$262 NOK 2,466

14.38%

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

$69.4 $69.4

$50.6 NOK 477

37.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.7 $87.7

$87.3 NOK 823

0.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.2 $80.2

$51.6 NOK 486

55.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.93 $34.93

$48.57 NOK 458

-28.08%

Cinema Ticket

$17.70 $17.70

$17.50 NOK 165

1.14%

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

$3,020 $3,020

$325 NOK 3,058

830.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.0K $31.0K

$7,802 NOK 73.5K

297.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.3 $77.3

$68.7 NOK 647

12.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$36.25 NOK 342

51.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$147 NOK 1,388

-12.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$168 NOK 1,582

-5.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 $2,488

$1,552 NOK 14.6K

60.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,930 $1,930

$1,268 NOK 11.9K

52.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,755 $4,755

$2,679 NOK 25.2K

77.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 $3,639

$1,994 NOK 18.8K

82.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,583 $7,583

$7,061 NOK 66.5K

7.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,109 $5,109

$5,436 NOK 51.2K

-6.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,219 $6,219

$4,201 NOK 39.6K

48.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

5.01

28.74%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Seattle, WA: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tromso: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,488 in Seattle, WA and $1,552 in Tromso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 48% 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: $100 in Seattle, WA vs $107 in Tromso. Groceries flip the comparison at $552 vs $548, with Tromso cheaper for home cooking.

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

Seattle, WA vs Tromso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tromso is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 48% higher in Seattle, WA, 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: $2,488 in Seattle, WA versus $1,552 in Tromso. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tromso – a meal for two runs $107 versus $100 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,880 per month in Seattle, WA versus $3,190 in Tromso – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Tromso is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Tromso is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seattle, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Tromso 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 Tromso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.