Cost of Living Comparison Between Trondheim and Sarpsborg Cost of Living Comparison Between Trondheim and Sarpsborg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,009 in Trondheim versus $2,802 in Sarpsborg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,335 in Trondheim versus $4,162 in Sarpsborg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,661 in Trondheim versus $5,521 in Sarpsborg.

Living in Trondheim is roughly 7% more expensive than in Sarpsborg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Trondheim 120% above, Sarpsborg 105% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Trondheim
Sarpsborg
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.98 NOK 198
$40.12 NOK 378
-47.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$110 NOK 1,036
$107 NOK 1,010
2.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.84 NOK 149
$19.57 NOK 184
-19.06%
Cappuccino
$5.62 NOK 52.9
$5.76 NOK 54.2
-2.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.77 NOK 54.4
$2.90 NOK 27.37
98.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37 NOK 41.15
$2.65 NOK 25.01
64.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$13.62 NOK 128
$8.82 NOK 83.2
54.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$13.21 NOK 124
$11.73 NOK 111
12.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Trondheim
Sarpsborg
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.59 NOK 24.38
$2.36 NOK 22.24
9.75%
White Bread (500g)
$3.55 NOK 33.49
$3.30 NOK 31.09
7.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.90 NOK 36.79
$3.76 NOK 35.40
3.72%
Eggs
$4.88 NOK 46.01
$5.08 NOK 47.90
-3.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.49 NOK 127
$12.87 NOK 121
4.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.46 NOK 155
$15.59 NOK 147
5.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$32.40 NOK 305
$29.86 NOK 281
8.51%
Apples (1kg)
$3.89 NOK 36.66
$3.49 NOK 32.90
11.46%
Banana (1kg)
$2.94 NOK 27.67
$2.78 NOK 26.16
5.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.00 NOK 37.69
$3.60 NOK 33.90
11.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.77 NOK 54.3
$4.52 NOK 42.58
27.65%
Potato (1kg)
$2.89 NOK 27.23
$2.60 NOK 24.51
11.15%
Onion (1kg)
$3.14 NOK 29.57
$2.98 NOK 28.08
5.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.87 NOK 27.07
$3.11 NOK 29.30
-7.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.25 NOK 21.23
$2.33 NOK 21.97
-3.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$18.01 NOK 170
$19.68 NOK 185
-8.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.22 NOK 181
$17.86 NOK 168
7.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.54 NOK 33.33
$3.61 NOK 34.03
-1.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.69 NOK 44.19
$4.32 NOK 40.74
8.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Trondheim
Sarpsborg
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.88 NOK 46.00
$2.70 NOK 25.46
80.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$102 NOK 963
$77.7 NOK 732
31.57%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$9.49 NOK 89.4
$10.98 NOK 104
-13.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.61 NOK 15.15
$1.95 NOK 18.39
-17.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$61.3 NOK 577
$73.9 NOK 696
-17.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.38 NOK 22.41
$2.18 NOK 20.53
9.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$47.1K NOK 444.0K
$45.0K NOK 423.6K
4.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$46.4K NOK 437.1K
$40.2K NOK 378.5K
15.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Trondheim
Sarpsborg
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$282 NOK 2,655
$273 NOK 2,571
3.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.46 NOK 344
$30.00 NOK 283
21.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$83.6 NOK 787
$59.3 NOK 559
40.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Trondheim
Sarpsborg
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.16 NOK 416
$51.4 NOK 484
-14.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$41.28 NOK 389
$32.10 NOK 302
28.60%
Cinema Ticket
$21.08 NOK 199
$16.91 NOK 159
24.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Trondheim
Sarpsborg
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$304 NOK 2,861
$253 NOK 2,384
19.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,455 NOK 42.0K
$13.2K NOK 124.2K
-66.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Trondheim
Sarpsborg
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$110 NOK 1,040
$97.1 NOK 915
13.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.7 NOK 496
$52.2 NOK 492
0.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$124 NOK 1,172
$113 NOK 1,065
10.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$158 NOK 1,485
$182 NOK 1,711
-13.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Trondheim
Sarpsborg
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,496 NOK 14.1K
$1,257 NOK 11.8K
18.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,236 NOK 11.6K
$1,038 NOK 9,785
19.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,253 NOK 21.2K
$1,609 NOK 15.2K
39.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,690 NOK 15.9K
$1,388 NOK 13.1K
21.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,555 NOK 61.8K
$6,265 NOK 59.0K
4.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,105 NOK 48.1K
$4,159 NOK 39.2K
22.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Trondheim
Sarpsborg
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,338 NOK 40.9K
$2,721 NOK 25.6K
59.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.32
5.18
2.70%

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

Last update for Trondheim: September 12, 2026

Last update for Sarpsborg: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,496 in Trondheim and $1,257 in Sarpsborg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Trondheim pays 59% 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: $110 in Trondheim vs $107 in Sarpsborg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $517 vs $486 per month, with Sarpsborg 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 Sarpsborg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Trondheim or Sarpsborg?
Sarpsborg wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Trondheim. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sarpsborg the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Trondheim or in Sarpsborg?
Average pay runs 59% higher in Trondheim, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Trondheim compared to Sarpsborg?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,496 in Trondheim versus $1,257 in Sarpsborg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Trondheim compared to Sarpsborg?
A monthly transit pass in Sarpsborg runs roughly 32% less than in Trondheim. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Trondheim and in Sarpsborg?
Childcare runs $304 in Trondheim versus $253 in Sarpsborg. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Trondheim or in Sarpsborg?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Sarpsborg 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, Trondheim or Sarpsborg?
Both work as nomad bases, but Sarpsborg delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,802 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sarpsborg hard to pass up.
How safe is Trondheim compared to Sarpsborg?
Safety-wise, Trondheim and Sarpsborg 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 Sarpsborg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Trondheim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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