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: $3,634 in Seattle, WA versus $2,934 in Tromso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,545 in Seattle, WA versus $4,342 in Tromso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,456 in Seattle, WA versus $5,749 in Tromso.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 170% above, Tromso 118% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.77 $24.77

$32.80 NOK 311

-24.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 $119

$123 NOK 1,163

-3.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 $13.78

$14.94 NOK 142

-7.76%

Cappuccino

$5.61 $5.61

$6.18 NOK 58.6

-9.22%

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

$2.89 $2.89

$4.65 NOK 44.16

-37.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.38 NOK 32.13

-27.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.96 $7.96

$10.91 NOK 104

-27.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$10.91 NOK 104

-24.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.45 NOK 23.28

-43.27%

White Bread (500g)

$4.86 $4.86

$3.20 NOK 30.40

51.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$3.47 NOK 32.89

48.70%

Eggs

$6.61 $6.61

$4.89 NOK 46.41

35.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.06 $25.06

$11.37 NOK 108

120.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.77 $15.77

$15.01 NOK 142

5.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.32 $20.32

$36.99 NOK 351

-45.07%

Apples (1kg)

$6.23 $6.23

$3.97 NOK 37.72

56.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.85 NOK 27.06

-3.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.33 $5.33

$3.75 NOK 35.61

42.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.49 $6.49

$5.10 NOK 48.37

27.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.00 NOK 28.45

3.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$3.60 NOK 34.14

7.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.74 NOK 26.01

0.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.78 NOK 16.89

43.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.35 $11.35

$14.85 NOK 141

-23.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.48 $15.48

$19.06 NOK 181

-18.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 $2.84

$3.61 NOK 34.29

-21.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$4.63 NOK 43.92

-8.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$4.85 NOK 46.01

-44.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.8 $97.8

$59.5 NOK 565

64.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$12.52 NOK 119

-79.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.12 NOK 10.63

53.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.17 $30.17

$52.0 NOK 494

-41.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$2.11 NOK 20.04

-45.50%

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

$33.3K $33.3K

$33.5K NOK 318.4K

-0.74%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$36.8K NOK 349.2K

-27.97%

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

$263 $263

$252 NOK 2,393

4.41%

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

$60.2 $60.2

$47.33 NOK 449

27.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.3 $74.3

$77.6 NOK 737

-4.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.6 $80.6

$47.90 NOK 455

68.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.99 $40.99

$39.41 NOK 374

4.01%

Cinema Ticket

$15.91 $15.91

$16.65 NOK 158

-4.44%

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

$2,281 $2,281

$338 NOK 3,204

575.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.8K $29.8K

$7,236 NOK 68.7K

311.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 $70.0

$88.0 NOK 835

-20.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 $53.8

$32.25 NOK 306

66.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 $119

$130 NOK 1,230

-8.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$137 NOK 1,297

4.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,312 $2,312

$1,400 NOK 13.3K

65.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,829 $1,829

$1,246 NOK 11.8K

46.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,694 $4,694

$2,556 NOK 24.3K

83.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,491 $3,491

$1,817 NOK 17.2K

92.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,154 $8,154

$9,041 NOK 85.8K

-9.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,200 $5,200

$5,345 NOK 50.7K

-2.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,564 $6,564

$4,214 NOK 40.0K

55.76%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Tromso: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,312 in Seattle, WA and $1,400 in Tromso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 56% 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 $123 in Tromso. Groceries flip the comparison at $538 vs $501, 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.

Seattle, WA pays 56% 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: $2,312 in Seattle, WA versus $1,400 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 $123 versus $119 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,634 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,934 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.