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: $3,621 in Seattle, WA versus $2,923 in Tromso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,548 in Seattle, WA versus $4,332 in Tromso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,476 in Seattle, WA versus $5,740 in Tromso.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 24% more expensive than in Tromso, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 172% above, Tromso 120% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.02 $25.02

$32.62 NOK 309

-23.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$120 NOK 1,135

-1.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.76 $13.76

$15.41 NOK 146

-10.71%

Cappuccino

$5.85 $5.85

$6.19 NOK 58.7

-5.49%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$4.43 NOK 42.04

-31.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$3.44 NOK 32.63

-30.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.93 $7.93

$11.25 NOK 107

-29.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$11.03 NOK 105

-28.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.45 NOK 23.20

-43.27%

White Bread (500g)

$4.86 $4.86

$3.28 NOK 31.13

48.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$3.35 NOK 31.74

54.63%

Eggs

$6.69 $6.69

$5.03 NOK 47.74

33.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.28 $25.28

$11.65 NOK 110

117.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.92 $15.92

$15.20 NOK 144

4.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.16 $20.16

$37.18 NOK 353

-45.78%

Apples (1kg)

$6.19 $6.19

$3.91 NOK 37.05

58.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.80 NOK 26.52

2.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$3.64 NOK 34.55

50.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.38 $6.38

$5.25 NOK 49.74

21.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.01 NOK 28.53

2.66%

Onion (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.66 NOK 34.71

3.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.66 NOK 25.22

5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.79 NOK 16.99

45.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.41 $11.41

$15.18 NOK 144

-24.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.59 $15.59

$18.85 NOK 179

-17.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$3.63 NOK 34.46

-17.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 $4.23

$4.62 NOK 43.82

-8.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$4.66 NOK 44.23

-42.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 $101

$59.9 NOK 568

68.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$12.59 NOK 119

-78.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.08 NOK 10.23

57.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.50 $29.50

$51.1 NOK 485

-42.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$2.20 NOK 20.85

-48.18%

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

$33.3K $33.3K

$32.6K NOK 309.0K

2.25%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$37.0K NOK 350.7K

-28.29%

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

$261 $261

$252 NOK 2,388

3.78%

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

$60.4 $60.4

$47.75 NOK 453

26.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.8 $75.8

$76.1 NOK 722

-0.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.8 $78.8

$47.63 NOK 452

65.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.08 $40.08

$39.43 NOK 374

1.65%

Cinema Ticket

$15.82 $15.82

$16.65 NOK 158

-4.98%

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

$2,210 $2,210

$339 NOK 3,214

552.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.8K $29.8K

$7,300 NOK 69.2K

308.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 $69.8

$89.6 NOK 850

-22.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$32.58 NOK 309

59.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$134 NOK 1,268

-12.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$135 NOK 1,279

3.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,321 $2,321

$1,382 NOK 13.1K

67.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,870 $1,870

$1,250 NOK 11.8K

49.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,728 $4,728

$2,526 NOK 24.0K

87.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,569 $3,569

$1,812 NOK 17.2K

97.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,651 $7,651

$9,075 NOK 86.1K

-15.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,034 $5,034

$5,242 NOK 49.7K

-3.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,516 $6,516

$4,052 NOK 38.4K

60.79%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Tromso: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,321 in Seattle, WA and $1,382 in Tromso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 61% 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: $118 in Seattle, WA vs $120 in Tromso. Groceries flip the comparison at $542 vs $504, 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 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 61% 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: $2,321 in Seattle, WA versus $1,382 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 $120 versus $118 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,621 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,923 in Tromso – a 24% 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 24% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.