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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,357 per month in Skien vs $2,990 in Trondheim, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,341 per month in Skien vs $4,295 in Trondheim, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,326 per month in Skien vs $5,599 in Trondheim, rent included.

Skien is about 21% cheaper than Trondheim, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Skien and Trondheim sit above the global median – Skien by 72%, Trondheim by 118%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.53 NOK 200

$21.21 NOK 197

1.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 NOK 989

$108 NOK 1,004

-1.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.84 NOK 147

$16.17 NOK 150

-2.04%

Cappuccino

$5.47 NOK 50.8

$5.58 NOK 51.8

-1.97%

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

$4.23 NOK 39.25

$5.81 NOK 54.0

-27.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 NOK 29.70

$4.33 NOK 40.19

-26.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.01 NOK 112

$13.61 NOK 126

-11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.63 NOK 117

$13.10 NOK 122

-3.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 NOK 19.24

$2.60 NOK 24.15

-20.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 NOK 36.69

$3.59 NOK 33.37

10.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.67 NOK 43.37

$3.83 NOK 35.57

21.93%

Eggs

$5.80 NOK 53.8

$5.06 NOK 47.00

14.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.58 NOK 126

$13.32 NOK 124

1.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.54 NOK 144

$16.56 NOK 154

-6.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 NOK 213

$32.75 NOK 304

-30.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 NOK 31.61

$3.97 NOK 36.87

-14.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 NOK 25.60

$3.03 NOK 28.13

-8.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 NOK 32.11

$3.92 NOK 36.38

-11.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.05 NOK 56.2

$5.64 NOK 52.4

7.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 NOK 22.06

$2.88 NOK 26.76

-17.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 NOK 27.75

$3.10 NOK 28.82

-3.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 NOK 28.42

$2.99 NOK 27.77

2.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 NOK 22.78

$2.35 NOK 21.81

4.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.12 NOK 177

$17.92 NOK 166

6.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.30 NOK 151

$19.02 NOK 177

-14.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NOK 32.67

$3.73 NOK 34.60

-5.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 NOK 41.20

$4.52 NOK 41.99

-1.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.47 NOK 32.20

$4.76 NOK 44.21

-27.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.24 NOK 448

$102 NOK 952

-52.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$11.14 NOK 103

$9.75 NOK 90.5

14.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 NOK 17.75

$1.65 NOK 15.31

15.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.6 NOK 674

$59.9 NOK 556

21.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 20.89

$2.30 NOK 21.35

-2.17%

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

$48.5K NOK 450.7K

$45.8K NOK 425.2K

6.02%

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

$43.9K NOK 407.8K

$46.7K NOK 433.7K

-5.95%

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

$97.8 NOK 908

$276 NOK 2,564

-64.58%

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

$33.45 NOK 311

$36.40 NOK 338

-8.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 NOK 543

$83.3 NOK 773

-29.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 NOK 381

$43.49 NOK 404

-5.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.47 NOK 385

Cinema Ticket

$15.30 NOK 142

$21.11 NOK 196

-27.52%

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

$244 NOK 2,266

$303 NOK 2,812

-19.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K NOK 148.8K

$4,410 NOK 40.9K

263.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 NOK 585

$110 NOK 1,021

-42.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 NOK 565

$51.5 NOK 478

18.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 NOK 842

$125 NOK 1,158

-27.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 NOK 1,495

$158 NOK 1,462

2.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 NOK 10.0K

$1,508 NOK 14.0K

-28.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$987 NOK 9,168

$1,209 NOK 11.2K

-18.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 NOK 9,751

$2,241 NOK 20.8K

-53.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$971 NOK 9,017

$1,685 NOK 15.6K

-42.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,603 NOK 33.5K

$6,577 NOK 61.1K

-45.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,179 NOK 29.5K

$5,047 NOK 46.9K

-37.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,293 NOK 39.9K

$4,203 NOK 39.0K

2.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.37

5.32

-17.86%

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

Last update for Skien: September 1, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,080 in Skien versus $1,508 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 Skien, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $106 in Skien versus $108 in Trondheim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $481 vs $521 – 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 27%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,536 per month in Skien and $4,486 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 $106 in Skien and $108 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 $2,357 in Skien and $2,990 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 $2,357, than in Trondheim at $2,990. 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.