🙂A single person spends $2,780 per month in Trondheim vs $2,794 in Locarno, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $4,125 per month in Trondheim vs $4,503 in Locarno, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $5,471 per month in Trondheim vs $6,213 in Locarno, rent included.
🙂Trondheim and Locarno have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.
📊Both Trondheim and Locarno sit above the global median – Trondheim by 108%, Locarno by 109%.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Trondheim
Locarno
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.76NOK 219
$27.33CHF 22.06
-16.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$120NOK 1,151
$146CHF 118
-18.22%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$14.31NOK 138
$16.79CHF 13.55
-14.77%
Cappuccino
$4.67NOK 45.01
$4.74CHF 3.82
-1.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.54NOK 34.11
$5.03CHF 4.06
-29.62%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00NOK 28.85
$4.59CHF 3.70
-34.64%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$10.77NOK 104
$7.25CHF 5.85
48.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$11.45NOK 110
$7.03CHF 5.67
62.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Trondheim
Locarno
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.65NOK 25.56
$1.80CHF 1.45
47.22%
White Bread(500g)
$3.59NOK 34.57
$2.69CHF 2.17
33.46%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.81NOK 36.71
$2.43CHF 1.96
56.79%
Eggs
$4.42NOK 42.55
$6.04CHF 4.87
-26.82%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.33NOK 119
$27.22CHF 21.96
-54.70%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.88NOK 143
$14.72CHF 11.88
1.09%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$27.83NOK 268
$37.24CHF 30.05
-25.27%
Apples(1kg)
$3.77NOK 36.27
$2.65CHF 2.14
42.26%
Banana(1kg)
$2.89NOK 27.81
$1.90CHF 1.53
52.11%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.69NOK 25.88
$1.81CHF 1.46
48.62%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.28NOK 50.8
$3.15CHF 2.54
67.62%
Potato(1kg)
$2.91NOK 28.01
$1.39CHF 1.12
109.35%
Onion(1kg)
$3.21NOK 30.90
$1.84CHF 1.48
74.46%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.24NOK 31.21
$1.83CHF 1.48
77.05%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.52NOK 24.31
$0.71CHF 0.57
254.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$15.47NOK 149
$10.65CHF 8.59
45.26%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.24NOK 176
$13.00CHF 10.49
40.31%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.77NOK 36.36
$2.28CHF 1.84
65.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.67NOK 45.01
$2.35CHF 1.90
98.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Trondheim
Locarno
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.54NOK 43.77
$2.72CHF 2.20
66.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$94.6NOK 911
$98.4CHF 79.4
-3.93%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$15.38NOK 148
$6.72CHF 5.42
128.87%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.24NOK 21.59
$4.28CHF 3.45
-47.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$89.4NOK 861
$80.3CHF 64.8
11.35%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.21NOK 21.33
$2.19CHF 1.76
0.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.4KNOK 302.8K
$34.4KCHF 27.8K
-8.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.3KNOK 417.5K
$40.9KCHF 33.0K
5.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Trondheim
Locarno
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$326NOK 3,142
$331CHF 267
-1.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$43.18NOK 416
$24.38CHF 19.67
77.11%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$76.6NOK 738
$46.33CHF 37.38
65.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Trondheim
Locarno
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.89NOK 413
$73.9CHF 59.6
-41.97%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$46.70NOK 450
$31.20CHF 25.17
49.68%
Cinema Ticket
$17.51NOK 169
$20.67CHF 16.68
-15.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Trondheim
Locarno
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$330NOK 3,175
$1,449CHF 1,169
-77.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,333NOK 80.3K
$19.8KCHF 16.0K
-58.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Trondheim
Locarno
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$110NOK 1,062
$114CHF 91.6
-2.87%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.54NOK 458
$57.7CHF 46.58
-17.65%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$126NOK 1,211
$120CHF 96.5
5.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129NOK 1,246
$119CHF 96.2
8.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Trondheim
Locarno
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,378NOK 13.3K
$1,061CHF 856
29.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,060NOK 10.2K
$1,067CHF 861
-0.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,251NOK 21.7K
$2,474CHF 1,997
-9.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,660NOK 16.0K
$2,277CHF 1,838
-27.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,307NOK 60.8K
$8,226CHF 6,637
-23.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,811NOK 46.3K
$6,258CHF 5,049
-23.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Trondheim
Locarno
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,102NOK 39.5K
$6,928CHF 5,590
-40.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.32
2.17
99.08%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Trondheim: July 13, 2026
Last update for Locarno: July 11, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,378 in Trondheim versus $1,061 in Locarno. 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 69% higher in Locarno. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $120 in Trondheim versus $146 in Locarno. Groceries tell a different story – $487 in Trondheim vs $459 in Locarno – so Locarno wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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
Trondheim vs Locarno: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,170 per month in Trondheim and $4,191 in Locarno. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Trondheim, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Trondheim or in Locarno?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $120 in Trondheim and $146 in Locarno. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 4% less in Trondheim. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Trondheim or in Locarno?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Trondheim, where all-in costs run around $2,780, than in Locarno at $2,794. In Trondheim it covers expenses comfortably, while in Locarno it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Trondheim or Locarno more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Trondheim – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Trondheim or Locarno?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Trondheim. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Locarno makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.