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: $3,583 in Seattle, WA versus $2,984 in Tromso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,632 in Seattle, WA versus $4,406 in Tromso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,681 in Seattle, WA versus $5,828 in Tromso.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 20% more expensive than Tromso, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Tromso 123% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.97 $24.97

$32.81 NOK 306

-23.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 $119

$119 NOK 1,109

0.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.90 $13.90

$15.42 NOK 144

-9.86%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$6.28 NOK 58.5

-11.46%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$4.43 NOK 41.28

-30.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.28 NOK 30.53

-24.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.96 $7.96

$11.05 NOK 103

-27.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 $8.01

$11.34 NOK 106

-29.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$2.38 NOK 22.21

-43.70%

White Bread (500g)

$5.05 $5.05

$3.21 NOK 29.94

57.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$3.42 NOK 31.85

56.73%

Eggs

$6.59 $6.59

$5.07 NOK 47.24

29.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.31 $25.31

$11.37 NOK 106

122.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.19 $16.19

$15.34 NOK 143

5.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.30 $20.30

$38.13 NOK 355

-46.76%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$4.03 NOK 37.56

48.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.77 NOK 25.81

-1.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$3.73 NOK 34.77

43.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.61 $6.61

$5.29 NOK 49.26

24.95%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.10 NOK 28.87

4.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$3.53 NOK 32.89

7.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.68 NOK 24.97

1.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.71 NOK 15.90

47.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.31 $11.31

$14.90 NOK 139

-24.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.28 $16.28

$19.11 NOK 178

-14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$3.49 NOK 32.50

-18.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 $4.16

$4.74 NOK 44.22

-12.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$4.83 NOK 44.98

-44.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.1 $97.1

$60.4 NOK 563

60.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 $2.71

$12.72 NOK 119

-78.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.14 NOK 10.64

51.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.46 $29.46

$51.9 NOK 484

-43.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$2.23 NOK 20.80

-46.19%

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

$33.6K $33.6K

$33.6K NOK 313.4K

-0.10%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$36.8K NOK 343.1K

-29.33%

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

$266 $266

$249 NOK 2,323

6.92%

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

$60.4 $60.4

$48.77 NOK 455

23.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 $76.2

$76.9 NOK 717

-0.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.2 $79.2

$47.48 NOK 442

66.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.51 $40.51

$38.57 NOK 359

5.03%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 $16.22

$16.72 NOK 156

-2.99%

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

$2,280 $2,280

$334 NOK 3,109

583.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.6K $29.6K

$7,263 NOK 67.7K

307.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 $69.6

$90.2 NOK 840

-22.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 $52.6

$32.84 NOK 306

60.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 $120

$133 NOK 1,239

-10.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$135 NOK 1,257

5.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,378 $2,378

$1,362 NOK 12.7K

74.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,866 $1,866

$1,267 NOK 11.8K

47.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,724 $4,724

$2,599 NOK 24.2K

81.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,510 $3,510

$1,856 NOK 17.3K

89.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,711 $7,711

$9,131 NOK 85.1K

-15.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,381 $5,381

$5,469 NOK 51.0K

-1.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,493 $6,493

$4,126 NOK 38.5K

57.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

4.27

50.35%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tromso: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,378 in Seattle, WA and $1,362 in Tromso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 57% 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: $119 in Seattle, WA vs $119 in Tromso. Groceries flip the comparison at $544 vs $506, 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 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Seattle, WA pays 57% more on average, 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: $2,378 in Seattle, WA versus $1,362 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 $119 versus $119 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,583 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,984 in Tromso – a 20% 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 20% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.