Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Trondheim and Locarno

For one person, living is cheaper in Locarno: $2,935 a month against $3,027 in Trondheim, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Trondheim, Norway
Locarno, Switzerland
Trondheim
🇳🇴 Norway
$3,027
/mo nomad
Locarno
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$2,935
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Trondheim and in Locarno

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

A single person spends $3,027 per month in Trondheim vs $2,935 in Locarno, rent included.

  • Trondheim $3,027
  • Locarno $2,935

A couple spends around $4,390 per month in Trondheim vs $4,633 in Locarno, rent included.

  • Trondheim $4,390
  • Locarno $4,633

A family of three spends $5,752 per month in Trondheim vs $6,332 in Locarno, rent included.

  • Trondheim $5,752
  • Locarno $6,332

Trondheim costs about 3% more than Locarno, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Trondheim and Locarno sit above the global median – Trondheim by 122%, Locarno by 116%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Trondheim
Locarno
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.10 NOK 195
$27.17 CHF 22.41
-22.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$108 NOK 1,000
$121 CHF 99.9
-10.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$16.26 NOK 150
$18.38 CHF 15.16
-11.53%
Cappuccino
$5.58 NOK 51.5
$5.07 CHF 4.18
10.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.90 NOK 54.4
$5.26 CHF 4.34
12.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.40 NOK 40.51
$4.35 CHF 3.59
1.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$13.21 NOK 122
$8.48 CHF 6.99
55.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$13.16 NOK 121
$6.06 CHF 5.00
117.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Trondheim
Locarno
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.52 NOK 23.19
$2.20 CHF 1.81
14.55%
White Bread (500g)
$3.55 NOK 32.69
$3.67 CHF 3.03
-3.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.83 NOK 35.32
$3.17 CHF 2.61
20.82%
Eggs
$5.01 NOK 46.13
$7.07 CHF 5.83
-29.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.20 NOK 122
$26.74 CHF 22.05
-50.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.00 NOK 157
$16.64 CHF 13.73
2.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$32.32 NOK 298
$36.18 CHF 29.84
-10.67%
Apples (1kg)
$4.01 NOK 36.96
$3.08 CHF 2.54
30.19%
Banana (1kg)
$3.05 NOK 28.13
$1.62 CHF 1.34
88.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.87 NOK 35.69
$2.13 CHF 1.76
81.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.60 NOK 51.6
$3.69 CHF 3.05
51.76%
Potato (1kg)
$2.98 NOK 27.45
$1.23 CHF 1.02
142.28%
Onion (1kg)
$3.03 NOK 27.95
$1.83 CHF 1.51
65.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.98 NOK 27.44
$1.97 CHF 1.63
51.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 NOK 21.70
$1.11 CHF 0.92
111.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$18.01 NOK 166
$10.92 CHF 9.01
64.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.61 NOK 171
$12.16 CHF 10.03
53.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.68 NOK 33.91
$2.83 CHF 2.33
30.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.53 NOK 41.73
$3.06 CHF 2.53
48.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Trondheim
Locarno
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.86 NOK 44.75
$2.70 CHF 2.23
80.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$102 NOK 943
$95.7 CHF 78.9
6.92%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$9.63 NOK 88.8
$4.64 CHF 3.82
107.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.64 NOK 15.14
$2.46 CHF 2.03
-33.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$61.7 NOK 569
$60.7 CHF 50.0
1.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.54 NOK 23.41
$2.24 CHF 1.85
13.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$46.3K NOK 427.0K
$38.8K CHF 32.0K
19.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$46.2K NOK 425.5K
$39.3K CHF 32.4K
17.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Trondheim
Locarno
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$281 NOK 2,588
$486 CHF 401
-42.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.31 NOK 335
$27.41 CHF 22.60
32.47%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$84.9 NOK 783
$58.1 CHF 47.91
46.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Trondheim
Locarno
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.31 NOK 418
$72.2 CHF 59.6
-37.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$40.99 NOK 378
$30.51 CHF 25.17
34.35%
Cinema Ticket
$19.70 NOK 182
$19.60 CHF 16.17
0.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Trondheim
Locarno
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$305 NOK 2,807
$1,472 CHF 1,214
-79.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,591 NOK 42.3K
$19.0K CHF 15.6K
-75.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Trondheim
Locarno
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$109 NOK 1,001
$96.4 CHF 79.5
12.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.4 NOK 474
$56.3 CHF 46.43
-8.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$121 NOK 1,115
$98.2 CHF 81.0
23.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$158 NOK 1,460
$120 CHF 98.6
32.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Trondheim
Locarno
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,635 NOK 15.1K
$1,031 CHF 850
58.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,266 NOK 11.7K
$1,038 CHF 856
21.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,320 NOK 21.4K
$2,410 CHF 1,987
-3.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,817 NOK 16.7K
$2,223 CHF 1,834
-18.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,610 NOK 60.9K
$9,402 CHF 7,755
-29.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,997 NOK 46.1K
$7,564 CHF 6,239
-33.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Trondheim
Locarno
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,392 NOK 40.5K
$5,878 CHF 4,848
-25.28%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.32
1.97
170.05%

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

Last update for Trondheim: October 26, 2026

Last update for Locarno: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Trondheim
$1.3K
Locarno
$1K 18% $228
Groceries & Markets
Trondheim
$519
Locarno
$497 4.3% $22
Eating Out
Trondheim
$418
Locarno
$426 2% $8.2
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Trondheim
$402
Locarno
$572 42.2% $170
Clothing & Footwear
Trondheim
$198
Locarno
$167 15.7% $31
Getting Around
Trondheim
$140
Locarno
$123 11.6% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Trondheim
$85
Locarno
$111 31.5% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,635 in Trondheim versus $1,031 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 34% higher in Locarno, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $108 in Trondheim versus $121 in Locarno. Groceries tell a different story – $519 in Trondheim vs $497 in Locarno – so Locarno wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇳🇴 Trondheim
🇨🇭 Locarno
🕒 Local time
07:23 7:23 AM
07:23 7:23 AM
Same time as Trondheim
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
215,121
16,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to NOK – Norwegian Krone Converter

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 9.22 NOK (1 NOK = 0.108 USD). 1 EUR = 10.29 NOK (100 NOK = 9.72 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.825 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.921 CHF (1 CHF = 1.09 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Trondheim Locarno 1,920 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Trondheim
  • Locarno

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
Trondheim vs Locarno: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Locarno cheaper than Trondheim?
Yes – Trondheim is pricier by about 3%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,541 per month in Trondheim and $4,402 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 Locarno, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,031 there versus $1,635 in Trondheim.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 6% less in Locarno. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Trondheim and $1,472 in Locarno. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,500 enough to cover costs in Trondheim or in Locarno?
$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,027 in Trondheim and $2,935 in Locarno. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is it better to live in Trondheim or in Locarno?
It depends on your priorities. Trondheim has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,935 in Locarno to $3,027 in Trondheim. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Trondheim or Locarno?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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