Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tromso and Kahului, HI

For one person, living is cheaper in Tromso: $3,073 a month against $3,988 in Kahului, HI, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Kahului, HI outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Tromso
🇳🇴 Norway
$3,073
/mo nomad
Kahului, HI
🇺🇸 United States
$3,988
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tromso and in Kahului, HI

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tromso and in Kahului, HI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,073 in Tromso versus $3,988 in Kahului, HI.

  • Tromso $3,073
  • Kahului, HI $3,988

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,616 in Tromso versus $5,766 in Kahului, HI.

  • Tromso $4,616
  • Kahului, HI $5,766

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,158 in Tromso versus $7,544 in Kahului, HI.

  • Tromso $6,158
  • Kahului, HI $7,544

Living in Tromso costs roughly 23% less than in Kahului, HI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tromso 128% above, Kahului, HI 195% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tromso
Kahului, HI
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$34.24 NOK 322
$48.73 $48.73
-29.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$103 NOK 974
$76.0 $76.0
36.14%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.60 NOK 147
$18.78 $18.78
-16.93%
Cappuccino
$6.77 NOK 63.7
$7.22 $7.22
-6.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.78 NOK 45.00
$2.89 $2.89
65.40%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.69 NOK 34.75
$3.53 $3.53
4.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$12.57 NOK 118
$4.94 $4.94
154.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$13.64 NOK 128
$7.64 $7.64
78.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tromso
Kahului, HI
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.49 NOK 23.48
$1.44 $1.44
72.92%
White Bread (500g)
$3.26 NOK 30.72
$6.84 $6.84
-52.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.92 NOK 36.91
$8.72 $8.72
-55.05%
Eggs
$5.18 NOK 48.80
$6.70 $6.70
-22.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.61 NOK 109
$8.77 $8.77
32.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.85 NOK 140
$15.18 $15.18
-2.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$40.81 NOK 384
$19.87 $19.87
105.39%
Apples (1kg)
$3.96 NOK 37.24
$12.71 $12.71
-68.84%
Banana (1kg)
$2.92 NOK 27.46
$2.78 $2.78
5.04%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.35 NOK 50.3
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$6.07 NOK 57.2
$14.03 $14.03
-56.74%
Potato (1kg)
$3.53 NOK 33.27
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$4.89 NOK 46.02
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.98 NOK 28.07
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.09 NOK 19.67
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$16.36 NOK 154
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$17.30 NOK 163
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.94 NOK 37.07
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.66 NOK 43.91
$6.03 $6.03
-22.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Tromso
Kahului, HI
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$5.03 NOK 47.39
$1.95 $1.95
157.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.0 NOK 631
$44.70 $44.70
49.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$15.40 NOK 145
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.04 NOK 19.21
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$56.6 NOK 533
$34.86 $34.86
62.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.33 NOK 21.93
$1.33 $1.33
75.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$48.3K NOK 454.8K
$39.3K $39.3K
22.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.5K NOK 409.1K
$26.3K $26.3K
65.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tromso
Kahului, HI
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$253 NOK 2,383
$297 $297
-14.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$49.95 NOK 470
$70.4 $70.4
-29.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$82.3 NOK 775
$51.6 $51.6
59.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tromso
Kahului, HI
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.5 NOK 475
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$46.87 NOK 441
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.44 NOK 164
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tromso
Kahului, HI
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$313 NOK 2,949
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,407 NOK 69.7K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tromso
Kahului, HI
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$65.6 NOK 617
$54.3 $54.3
20.74%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36 NOK 333
$40.77 $40.77
-13.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$145 NOK 1,361
$95.7 $95.7
50.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$163 NOK 1,538
$122 $122
34.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tromso
Kahului, HI
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,566 NOK 14.7K
$2,376 $2,376
-34.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,244 NOK 11.7K
$2,309 $2,309
-46.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,786 NOK 26.2K
$3,930 $3,930
-29.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,027 NOK 19.1K
$3,868 $3,868
-47.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,960 NOK 65.5K
$11.8K $11.8K
-40.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,271 NOK 49.6K
$11.6K $11.6K
-54.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tromso
Kahului, HI
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,125 NOK 38.8K
$4,667 $4,667
-11.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.01
0
-

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

Last update for Tromso: October 10, 2026

Last update for Kahului, HI: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tromso
$1.2K
Kahului, HI
$2.3K 85.5% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Tromso
$536
Kahului, HI
$469 * 12.5% $67
Eating Out
Tromso
$526
Kahului, HI
$598 13.8% $72
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tromso
$385
Kahului, HI
$419 8.7% $34
Clothing & Footwear
Tromso
$184
Kahului, HI
$141 23.5% $43
Getting Around
Tromso
$113
Kahului, HI
$52 * 53.4% $60
Sport & Entertainment
Tromso
$85
Kahului, HI
- * 100%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,566 in Tromso and $2,376 in Kahului, HI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kahului, HI pays 13% 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: $103 in Tromso vs $76.0 in Kahului, HI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $536 vs $469 per month, with Kahului, HI cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇳🇴 Tromso
🇺🇸 Kahului, HI
🕒 Local time
17:15 5:15 PM
05:15 5:15 AM
12 h behind Tromso
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
78,908
26,337
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to NOK – Norwegian Krone Converter

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 9.41 NOK (1 NOK = 0.106 USD). 1 EUR = 10.58 NOK (100 NOK = 9.45 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tromso Kahului, HI 9,940 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tromso
  • Kahului, HI

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Tromso vs Kahului, HI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Tromso or Kahului, HI?
Tromso wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Kahului, HI. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tromso the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Tromso or in Kahului, HI?
On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Kahului, HI. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Tromso compared to Kahului, HI?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,566 in Tromso versus $2,376 in Kahului, HI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Tromso or in Kahului, HI?
Shoppers in Kahului, HI pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How much does it cost to live in Tromso compared to Kahului, HI?
All in, you'll spend $3,073 per month in Tromso versus $3,988 in Kahului, HI – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Tromso or in Kahului, HI?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Tromso is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Tromso or Kahului, HI?
Both work as nomad bases, but Tromso delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,073 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tromso hard to pass up.
How safe is Tromso compared to Kahului, HI?
Safety-wise, Tromso and Kahului, HI are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Tromso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Kahului, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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