Cost of Living Comparison Between Somerville, MA and Trondheim Cost of Living Comparison Between Somerville, MA and Trondheim

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,342 in Somerville, MA versus $2,780 in Trondheim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,220 in Somerville, MA versus $4,125 in Trondheim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,098 in Somerville, MA versus $5,471 in Trondheim.

Living in Somerville, MA is roughly 56% more expensive than in Trondheim, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Somerville, MA 225% above, Trondheim 108% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.65 $24.65

$22.76 NOK 219

8.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$120 NOK 1,151

-17.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.62 $13.62

$14.31 NOK 138

-4.82%

Cappuccino

$4.92 $4.92

$4.67 NOK 45.01

5.35%

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

$2.67 $2.67

$3.54 NOK 34.11

-24.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$3.00 NOK 28.85

-27.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.66 $7.66

$10.77 NOK 104

-28.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.90 $8.90

$11.45 NOK 110

-22.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$2.65 NOK 25.56

-51.70%

White Bread (500g)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.59 NOK 34.57

16.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$3.81 NOK 36.71

-21.52%

Eggs

$4.80 $4.80

$4.42 NOK 42.55

8.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.15 $17.15

$12.33 NOK 119

39.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.20 $13.20

$14.88 NOK 143

-11.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.23 $20.23

$27.83 NOK 268

-27.31%

Apples (1kg)

$5.83 $5.83

$3.77 NOK 36.27

54.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.89 NOK 27.81

-24.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.66 $5.66

$2.69 NOK 25.88

110.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$5.28 NOK 50.8

28.03%

Potato (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.91 NOK 28.01

50.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.21 NOK 30.90

-30.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.24 NOK 31.21

-13.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.52 NOK 24.31

-12.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.63 $13.63

$15.47 NOK 149

-11.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.98 $14.98

$18.24 NOK 176

-17.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$3.77 NOK 36.36

-42.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$4.67 NOK 45.01

-58.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 $2.25

$4.54 NOK 43.77

-50.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.7 $88.7

$94.6 NOK 911

-6.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 $2.66

$15.38 NOK 148

-82.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.24 NOK 21.59

-23.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.64 $27.64

$89.4 NOK 861

-69.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$2.21 NOK 21.33

-59.73%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$31.4K NOK 302.8K

-4.93%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$43.3K NOK 417.5K

-41.01%

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

$197 $197

$326 NOK 3,142

-39.71%

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

$72.4 $72.4

$43.18 NOK 416

67.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.6 $78.6

$76.6 NOK 738

2.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$102 $102

$42.89 NOK 413

138.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.70 NOK 450

Cinema Ticket

$15.76 $15.76

$17.51 NOK 169

-9.99%

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

$1,643 $1,643

$330 NOK 3,175

398.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K $27.0K

$8,333 NOK 80.3K

224.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 $56.6

$110 NOK 1,062

-48.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.16 $40.16

$47.54 NOK 458

-15.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$126 NOK 1,211

-17.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 $147

$129 NOK 1,246

13.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,888 $2,888

$1,378 NOK 13.3K

109.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,678 $2,678

$1,060 NOK 10.2K

152.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,546 $4,546

$2,251 NOK 21.7K

101.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,532 $4,532

$1,660 NOK 16.0K

172.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,444 $7,444

$6,307 NOK 60.8K

18.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,662 $5,662

$4,811 NOK 46.3K

17.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,331 $5,331

$4,102 NOK 39.5K

29.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.47

4.32

49.77%

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

Last update for Somerville, MA: July 12, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,888 in Somerville, MA and $1,378 in Trondheim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Somerville, MA pays 30% 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: $98.0 in Somerville, MA vs $120 in Trondheim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $463 vs $487 per month, with Somerville, MA cheaper across the board.

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

Somerville, MA vs Trondheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Somerville, MA and Trondheim differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($4,342 vs $2,780 including rent). Trondheim is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 30% higher in Somerville, MA, 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: $2,888 in Somerville, MA versus $1,378 in Trondheim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,643 in Somerville, MA versus $330 in Trondheim. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Somerville, MA pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Trondheim is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Somerville, MA and Trondheim 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 Trondheim gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Somerville, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.