Cost of Living Comparison Between Trondheim and Molde Cost of Living Comparison Between Trondheim and Molde

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,009 in Trondheim versus $2,442 in Molde.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,335 in Trondheim versus $3,697 in Molde.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,661 in Trondheim versus $4,952 in Molde.

Living in Trondheim is roughly 23% more expensive than in Molde, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Trondheim 120% above, Molde 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.98 NOK 198

$30.59 NOK 288

-31.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 NOK 1,036

$85.8 NOK 808

28.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.84 NOK 149

$15.94 NOK 150

-0.63%

Cappuccino

$5.62 NOK 52.9

$5.17 NOK 48.70

8.70%

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

$5.77 NOK 54.4

$3.29 NOK 31.01

75.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 NOK 41.13

$3.58 NOK 33.70

22.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.62 NOK 128

$11.67 NOK 110

16.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.21 NOK 124

$10.52 NOK 99.2

25.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.59 NOK 24.37

$3.13 NOK 29.46

-17.25%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 NOK 33.49

$4.23 NOK 39.85

-16.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.90 NOK 36.78

$4.11 NOK 38.69

-5.11%

Eggs

$4.88 NOK 46.00

$5.24 NOK 49.35

-6.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 NOK 127

$18.57 NOK 175

-27.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.46 NOK 155

$16.04 NOK 151

2.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$32.40 NOK 305

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 NOK 36.65

$3.48 NOK 32.76

11.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 NOK 27.67

$3.28 NOK 30.89

-10.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 NOK 37.68

$3.08 NOK 28.97

29.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.77 NOK 54.3

$4.93 NOK 46.41

17.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 NOK 27.23

$2.63 NOK 24.80

9.89%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 NOK 29.56

$2.43 NOK 22.88

29.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 NOK 27.06

$2.77 NOK 26.05

3.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 NOK 21.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.01 NOK 170

$20.59 NOK 194

-12.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.22 NOK 181

$23.72 NOK 223

-18.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 NOK 33.32

$4.17 NOK 39.25

-15.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 NOK 44.18

$8.19 NOK 77.1

-42.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.88 NOK 45.99

$5.20 NOK 48.98

-6.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 NOK 963

$84.8 NOK 798

20.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.49 NOK 89.4

$16.35 NOK 154

-41.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 NOK 15.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.3 NOK 577

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.38 NOK 22.40

$2.31 NOK 21.75

3.03%

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

$47.1K NOK 443.9K

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

$46.4K NOK 437.0K

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

$282 NOK 2,655

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

$36.46 NOK 343

$21.65 NOK 204

68.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.6 NOK 787

$84.4 NOK 795

-1.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.16 NOK 416

$59.7 NOK 563

-26.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.28 NOK 389

Cinema Ticket

$21.08 NOK 199

$18.95 NOK 178

11.24%

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

$304 NOK 2,860

$214 NOK 2,013

42.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,455 NOK 42.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 NOK 1,040

$113 NOK 1,060

-1.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 NOK 496

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 NOK 1,171

$139 NOK 1,305

-10.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 NOK 1,484

$162 NOK 1,529

-2.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 NOK 14.1K

$1,288 NOK 12.1K

16.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 NOK 11.6K

$981 NOK 9,241

25.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,253 NOK 21.2K

$1,899 NOK 17.9K

18.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 NOK 15.9K

$1,678 NOK 15.8K

0.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,555 NOK 61.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,105 NOK 48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,338 NOK 40.9K

$4,356 NOK 41.0K

-0.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

4.8

10.83%

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

Last update for Trondheim: September 12, 2026

Last update for Molde: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,496 in Trondheim and $1,288 in Molde. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Molde pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $110 in Trondheim vs $86.0 in Molde for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $517 vs $429 per month, with Molde 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

Trondheim vs Molde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Molde is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 0% lower in Molde. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,496 in Trondheim versus $1,288 in Molde. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $304 in Trondheim versus $214 in Molde. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Trondheim. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Molde is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Molde is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Trondheim, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Trondheim and Molde 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 Molde gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Trondheim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.