Cost of Living Comparison Between Trondheim and Locarno Cost of Living Comparison Between Trondheim and Locarno

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,009 per month in Trondheim vs $2,948 in Locarno, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,335 per month in Trondheim vs $4,638 in Locarno, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,661 per month in Trondheim vs $6,328 in Locarno, rent included.

Trondheim costs about 2% more than Locarno, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Trondheim and Locarno sit above the global median – Trondheim by 120%, Locarno by 116%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.98 NOK 198

$27.42 CHF 22.63

-23.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 NOK 1,036

$125 CHF 103

-11.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.84 NOK 149

$18.56 CHF 15.32

-14.66%

Cappuccino

$5.62 NOK 52.9

$5.00 CHF 4.13

12.40%

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

$5.77 NOK 54.4

$5.17 CHF 4.27

11.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 NOK 41.15

$4.37 CHF 3.61

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.62 NOK 128

$8.55 CHF 7.06

59.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.21 NOK 124

$6.09 CHF 5.03

116.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.59 NOK 24.38

$2.17 CHF 1.79

19.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 NOK 33.49

$3.86 CHF 3.19

-8.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.90 NOK 36.79

$3.16 CHF 2.61

23.42%

Eggs

$4.88 NOK 46.01

$7.60 CHF 6.27

-35.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 NOK 127

$26.17 CHF 21.60

-48.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.46 NOK 155

$16.30 CHF 13.45

0.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$32.40 NOK 305

$37.10 CHF 30.62

-12.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 NOK 36.66

$3.12 CHF 2.58

24.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 NOK 27.67

$1.61 CHF 1.33

82.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 NOK 37.69

$2.11 CHF 1.75

89.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.77 NOK 54.3

$3.61 CHF 2.98

59.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 NOK 27.23

$1.31 CHF 1.08

120.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 NOK 29.57

$1.80 CHF 1.48

74.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 NOK 27.07

$2.01 CHF 1.66

42.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 NOK 21.23

$1.23 CHF 1.02

82.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.01 NOK 170

$11.13 CHF 9.19

61.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.22 NOK 181

$13.15 CHF 10.85

46.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 NOK 33.33

$3.12 CHF 2.58

13.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 NOK 44.19

$3.05 CHF 2.52

53.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.88 NOK 46.00

$2.72 CHF 2.24

79.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 NOK 963

$97.8 CHF 80.7

4.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.49 NOK 89.4

$12.08 CHF 9.97

-21.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 NOK 15.15

$2.50 CHF 2.06

-35.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.3 NOK 577

$61.8 CHF 51.0

-0.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.38 NOK 22.41

$2.25 CHF 1.86

5.78%

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

$47.1K NOK 444.0K

$38.4K CHF 31.7K

22.58%

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

$46.4K NOK 437.1K

$39.8K CHF 32.9K

16.46%

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

$282 NOK 2,655

$482 CHF 398

-41.49%

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

$36.46 NOK 344

$27.07 CHF 22.35

34.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.6 NOK 787

$58.2 CHF 48.04

43.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.16 NOK 416

$73.5 CHF 60.7

-39.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.28 NOK 389

$30.26 CHF 24.97

36.42%

Cinema Ticket

$21.08 NOK 199

$20.57 CHF 16.98

2.48%

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

$304 NOK 2,861

$1,486 CHF 1,227

-79.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,455 NOK 42.0K

$19.6K CHF 16.2K

-77.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 NOK 1,040

$99.8 CHF 82.4

10.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 NOK 496

$58.2 CHF 48.04

-9.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 NOK 1,172

$97.4 CHF 80.4

27.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 NOK 1,485

$121 CHF 99.9

30.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 NOK 14.1K

$1,033 CHF 853

44.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 NOK 11.6K

$1,045 CHF 863

18.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,253 NOK 21.2K

$2,457 CHF 2,028

-8.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 NOK 15.9K

$2,247 CHF 1,854

-24.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,555 NOK 61.8K

$8,022 CHF 6,622

-18.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,105 NOK 48.1K

$6,260 CHF 5,167

-18.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,338 NOK 40.9K

$6,889 CHF 5,686

-37.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

1.93

175.65%

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

Last update for Trondheim: September 12, 2026

Last update for Locarno: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,496 in Trondheim versus $1,033 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 59% 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 $110 in Trondheim versus $125 in Locarno. Groceries tell a different story – $517 in Trondheim vs $505 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

Yes – Trondheim is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,513 per month in Trondheim and $4,422 in Locarno. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Locarno, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Locarno. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Trondheim and $1,486 in Locarno. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Locarno, where all-in costs run around $2,948, than in Trondheim at $3,009. In Locarno it covers expenses comfortably, while in Trondheim it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Locarno – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Locarno. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Trondheim makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.