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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,282 per month in Skien vs $2,748 in Trondheim, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,202 per month in Skien vs $4,158 in Trondheim, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,122 per month in Skien vs $5,569 in Trondheim, rent included.

Skien is about 17% cheaper than Trondheim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Skien and Trondheim sit above the global median – Skien by 70%, Trondheim by 105%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.96 NOK 269

$22.17 NOK 206

30.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 NOK 935

$122 NOK 1,137

-17.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.26 NOK 123

$14.43 NOK 134

-8.11%

Cappuccino

$4.88 NOK 45.35

$4.84 NOK 45.00

0.83%

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

$2.47 NOK 22.94

$3.58 NOK 33.30

-31.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 NOK 20.38

$2.91 NOK 27.02

-24.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.05 NOK 84.0

$10.67 NOK 99.2

-15.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.67 NOK 89.8

$11.42 NOK 106

-15.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 NOK 18.73

$2.60 NOK 24.19

-22.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 NOK 30.67

$3.50 NOK 32.48

-5.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 NOK 29.30

$3.84 NOK 35.70

-17.97%

Eggs

$4.20 NOK 39.01

$4.43 NOK 41.15

-5.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 NOK 106

$12.20 NOK 113

-6.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.22 NOK 132

$14.90 NOK 138

-4.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.44 NOK 236

$28.82 NOK 268

-11.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 NOK 34.89

$3.85 NOK 35.80

-2.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 NOK 21.55

$2.95 NOK 27.37

-21.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 NOK 30.63

$2.64 NOK 24.49

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 NOK 37.36

$5.18 NOK 48.10

-22.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 NOK 21.26

$2.89 NOK 26.87

-20.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NOK 20.07

$3.28 NOK 30.49

-34.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.94 NOK 27.36

$3.17 NOK 29.41

-7.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 NOK 17.55

$2.39 NOK 22.18

-20.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.86 NOK 175

$15.01 NOK 139

25.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.87 NOK 147

$18.82 NOK 175

-15.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.33 NOK 30.97

$3.84 NOK 35.65

-13.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 NOK 36.67

$4.67 NOK 43.37

-15.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 NOK 25.02

$4.65 NOK 43.20

-42.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.33 NOK 412

$91.3 NOK 848

-51.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$36.08 NOK 335

$15.44 NOK 143

133.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 NOK 13.57

$2.28 NOK 21.15

-35.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$99.7 NOK 926

$87.6 NOK 814

13.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 NOK 19.41

$2.17 NOK 20.14

-3.69%

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

$25.7K NOK 238.9K

$32.0K NOK 297.3K

-19.63%

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

$35.8K NOK 332.2K

$41.8K NOK 388.2K

-14.41%

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

$96.6 NOK 897

$317 NOK 2,948

-69.56%

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

$37.34 NOK 347

$43.17 NOK 401

-13.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.51 NOK 358

$75.4 NOK 700

-48.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.00 NOK 353

$42.29 NOK 393

-10.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.76 NOK 323

$46.17 NOK 429

-24.71%

Cinema Ticket

$14.39 NOK 134

$17.30 NOK 161

-16.82%

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

$312 NOK 2,900

$326 NOK 3,030

-4.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K NOK 93.9K

$8,458 NOK 78.6K

19.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.85 NOK 380

$113 NOK 1,051

-63.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.21 NOK 327

$48.03 NOK 446

-26.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.8 NOK 862

$130 NOK 1,206

-28.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 NOK 1,421

$132 NOK 1,229

15.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$961 NOK 8,931

$1,407 NOK 13.1K

-31.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 NOK 9,291

$1,080 NOK 10.0K

-7.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,101 NOK 10.2K

$2,208 NOK 20.5K

-50.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$902 NOK 8,381

$1,702 NOK 15.8K

-47.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,561 NOK 33.1K

$6,371 NOK 59.2K

-44.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,271 NOK 30.4K

$5,083 NOK 47.2K

-35.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,269 NOK 39.7K

$4,336 NOK 40.3K

-1.55%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $961 in Skien versus $1,407 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 $101 in Skien versus $122 in Trondheim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $432 vs $488 – 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 20%, 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 $3,422 per month in Skien and $4,122 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 $101 in Skien and $122 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 $2,282 in Skien and $2,748 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 $2,282, than in Trondheim at $2,748. 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.