Cost of Living Comparison Between Skien and Trondheim Cost of Living Comparison Between Skien and Trondheim

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,347 per month in Skien vs $2,780 in Trondheim, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,223 per month in Skien vs $4,125 in Trondheim, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,098 per month in Skien vs $5,471 in Trondheim, rent included.

Skien is about 16% cheaper than Trondheim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Skien and Trondheim sit above the global median – Skien by 76%, Trondheim by 108%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.93 NOK 279

$22.76 NOK 219

27.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.7 NOK 960

$120 NOK 1,151

-16.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.15 NOK 127

$14.31 NOK 138

-8.11%

Cappuccino

$4.94 NOK 47.62

$4.67 NOK 45.01

5.78%

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

$2.52 NOK 24.29

$3.54 NOK 34.11

-28.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 NOK 21.47

$3.00 NOK 28.85

-25.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.22 NOK 88.8

$10.77 NOK 104

-14.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.88 NOK 95.1

$11.45 NOK 110

-13.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 NOK 18.66

$2.65 NOK 25.56

-26.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 NOK 32.87

$3.59 NOK 34.57

-5.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 NOK 32.08

$3.81 NOK 36.71

-12.60%

Eggs

$4.22 NOK 40.61

$4.42 NOK 42.55

-4.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.58 NOK 112

$12.33 NOK 119

-6.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 NOK 136

$14.88 NOK 143

-4.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.44 NOK 245

$27.83 NOK 268

-8.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 NOK 36.11

$3.77 NOK 36.27

-0.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 NOK 21.73

$2.89 NOK 27.81

-21.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 NOK 31.45

$2.69 NOK 25.88

21.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 NOK 38.72

$5.28 NOK 50.8

-23.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 NOK 21.41

$2.91 NOK 28.01

-23.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 NOK 20.39

$3.21 NOK 30.90

-33.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 NOK 28.87

$3.24 NOK 31.21

-7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 NOK 18.24

$2.52 NOK 24.31

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.24 NOK 185

$15.47 NOK 149

24.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.31 NOK 147

$18.24 NOK 176

-16.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 NOK 31.72

$3.77 NOK 36.36

-12.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 NOK 37.16

$4.67 NOK 45.01

-17.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.67 NOK 25.73

$4.54 NOK 43.77

-41.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.34 NOK 417

$94.6 NOK 911

-54.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$35.68 NOK 344

$15.38 NOK 148

131.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 NOK 13.92

$2.24 NOK 21.59

-35.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$100 NOK 966

$89.4 NOK 861

12.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 20.98

$2.21 NOK 21.33

-1.36%

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

$25.6K NOK 246.8K

$31.4K NOK 302.8K

-18.48%

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

$35.6K NOK 343.3K

$43.3K NOK 417.5K

-17.77%

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

$98.7 NOK 950

$326 NOK 3,142

-69.76%

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

$38.06 NOK 367

$43.18 NOK 416

-11.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.32 NOK 369

$76.6 NOK 738

-49.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.33 NOK 360

$42.89 NOK 413

-12.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.73 NOK 344

$46.70 NOK 450

-23.49%

Cinema Ticket

$13.95 NOK 134

$17.51 NOK 169

-20.33%

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

$307 NOK 2,954

$330 NOK 3,175

-6.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K NOK 98.3K

$8,333 NOK 80.3K

22.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.71 NOK 382

$110 NOK 1,062

-63.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.38 NOK 341

$47.54 NOK 458

-25.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.2 NOK 868

$126 NOK 1,211

-28.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 NOK 1,463

$129 NOK 1,246

17.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 NOK 9,355

$1,378 NOK 13.3K

-29.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$976 NOK 9,397

$1,060 NOK 10.2K

-8.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,122 NOK 10.8K

$2,251 NOK 21.7K

-50.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$914 NOK 8,807

$1,660 NOK 16.0K

-44.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,335 NOK 32.1K

$6,307 NOK 60.8K

-47.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,041 NOK 29.3K

$4,811 NOK 46.3K

-36.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,036 NOK 38.9K

$4,102 NOK 39.5K

-1.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

4.32

-12.04%

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

Last update for Skien: July 12, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $971 in Skien versus $1,378 in Trondheim. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Trondheim, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Skien versus $120 in Trondheim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $431 vs $487 – making Skien the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Skien vs Trondheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Trondheim is pricier by about 18%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,520 per month in Skien and $4,170 in Trondheim. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Skien, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Skien and $120 in Trondheim. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,347 in Skien and $2,780 in Trondheim. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Skien, where all-in costs run around $2,347, than in Trondheim at $2,780. In Skien it covers expenses comfortably, while in Trondheim it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Skien – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Skien. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Trondheim makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.