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: $4,197 in Somerville, MA versus $2,748 in Trondheim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,185 in Somerville, MA versus $4,158 in Trondheim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,174 in Somerville, MA versus $5,569 in Trondheim.

Living in Somerville, MA is roughly 53% more expensive than Trondheim, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Somerville, MA 213% above, Trondheim 105% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.23 $25.23

$22.17 NOK 206

13.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.8 $98.8

$122 NOK 1,137

-19.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.57 $13.57

$14.43 NOK 134

-5.96%

Cappuccino

$5.05 $5.05

$4.84 NOK 45.00

4.34%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$3.58 NOK 33.30

-23.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.91 NOK 27.02

-26.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.55 $7.55

$10.67 NOK 99.2

-29.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.20 $9.20

$11.42 NOK 106

-19.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.60 NOK 24.19

-51.15%

White Bread (500g)

$4.10 $4.10

$3.50 NOK 32.48

17.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.84 NOK 35.70

-18.49%

Eggs

$4.77 $4.77

$4.43 NOK 41.15

7.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.98 $16.98

$12.20 NOK 113

39.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.17 $13.17

$14.90 NOK 138

-11.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.21 $20.21

$28.82 NOK 268

-29.88%

Apples (1kg)

$5.73 $5.73

$3.85 NOK 35.80

48.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.95 NOK 27.37

-23.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.86 $5.86

$2.64 NOK 24.49

121.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.55 $6.55

$5.18 NOK 48.10

26.45%

Potato (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.89 NOK 26.87

50.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$3.28 NOK 30.49

-35.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 $2.77

$3.17 NOK 29.41

-12.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.39 NOK 22.18

-7.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.87 $13.87

$15.01 NOK 139

-7.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.04 $15.04

$18.82 NOK 175

-20.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$3.84 NOK 35.65

-44.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$4.67 NOK 43.37

-56.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 $2.23

$4.65 NOK 43.20

-52.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.6 $89.6

$91.3 NOK 848

-1.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 $2.59

$15.44 NOK 143

-83.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.28 NOK 21.15

-21.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.99 $27.99

$87.6 NOK 814

-68.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$2.17 NOK 20.14

-57.14%

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

$30.3K $30.3K

$32.0K NOK 297.3K

-5.21%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$41.8K NOK 388.2K

-38.49%

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

$192 $192

$317 NOK 2,948

-39.63%

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

$71.7 $71.7

$43.17 NOK 401

66.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.8 $76.8

$75.4 NOK 700

1.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$104 $104

$42.29 NOK 393

146.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.17 NOK 429

Cinema Ticket

$15.52 $15.52

$17.30 NOK 161

-10.29%

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

$1,643 $1,643

$326 NOK 3,030

403.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K $27.0K

$8,458 NOK 78.6K

219.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 $57.2

$113 NOK 1,051

-49.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.81 $39.81

$48.03 NOK 446

-17.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$130 NOK 1,206

-19.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 $150

$132 NOK 1,229

13.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,837 $2,837

$1,407 NOK 13.1K

101.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,625 $2,625

$1,080 NOK 10.0K

142.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,585 $4,585

$2,208 NOK 20.5K

107.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,484 $4,484

$1,702 NOK 15.8K

163.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,657 $7,657

$6,371 NOK 59.2K

20.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,655 $5,655

$5,083 NOK 47.2K

11.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,444 $5,444

$4,336 NOK 40.3K

25.55%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,837 in Somerville, MA and $1,407 in Trondheim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Somerville, MA pays 26% 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: $99.0 in Somerville, MA vs $122 in Trondheim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $461 vs $488 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 53% in total monthly costs ($4,197 vs $2,748 including rent). Trondheim is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Somerville, MA pays 26% 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: $2,837 in Somerville, MA versus $1,407 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 $326 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 6% 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 53% less than in Somerville, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.