Cost of Living Comparison Between Trondheim and Skien Cost of Living Comparison Between Trondheim and Skien

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,780 per month in Trondheim vs $2,347 in Skien, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,125 per month in Trondheim vs $3,223 in Skien, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,471 per month in Trondheim vs $4,098 in Skien, rent included.

Trondheim costs about 18% more than Skien, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Trondheim and Skien sit above the global median – Trondheim by 108%, Skien by 76%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.76 NOK 219

$28.93 NOK 279

-21.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,153

$99.7 NOK 961

19.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.31 NOK 138

$13.15 NOK 127

8.82%

Cappuccino

$4.67 NOK 45.06

$4.94 NOK 47.68

-5.47%

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

$3.54 NOK 34.15

$2.52 NOK 24.31

40.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 NOK 28.88

$2.23 NOK 21.50

34.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.77 NOK 104

$9.22 NOK 88.9

16.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.45 NOK 110

$9.88 NOK 95.2

15.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.65 NOK 25.59

$1.94 NOK 18.68

36.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 NOK 34.61

$3.41 NOK 32.91

5.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.81 NOK 36.75

$3.33 NOK 32.11

14.41%

Eggs

$4.42 NOK 42.60

$4.22 NOK 40.65

4.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.33 NOK 119

$11.58 NOK 112

6.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.88 NOK 143

$14.14 NOK 136

5.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.83 NOK 268

$25.44 NOK 245

9.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 NOK 36.31

$3.75 NOK 36.15

0.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 NOK 27.85

$2.26 NOK 21.76

27.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 NOK 25.91

$3.27 NOK 31.49

-17.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.28 NOK 50.9

$4.02 NOK 38.77

31.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 NOK 28.04

$2.22 NOK 21.44

31.08%

Onion (1kg)

$3.21 NOK 30.94

$2.12 NOK 20.42

51.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.24 NOK 31.24

$3.00 NOK 28.90

8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 NOK 24.34

$1.89 NOK 18.26

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.47 NOK 149

$19.24 NOK 185

-19.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.24 NOK 176

$15.31 NOK 148

19.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.77 NOK 36.40

$3.29 NOK 31.75

14.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 NOK 45.06

$3.86 NOK 37.21

20.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.54 NOK 43.82

$2.67 NOK 25.76

70.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.6 NOK 912

$43.34 NOK 418

118.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.38 NOK 148

$35.68 NOK 344

-56.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 NOK 21.62

$1.45 NOK 13.93

54.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$89.4 NOK 862

$100 NOK 967

-10.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 NOK 21.35

$2.18 NOK 21.01

1.38%

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

$31.4K NOK 303.1K

$25.6K NOK 247.1K

22.67%

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

$43.3K NOK 417.9K

$35.6K NOK 343.7K

21.60%

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

$326 NOK 3,146

$98.7 NOK 951

230.66%

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

$43.18 NOK 416

$38.06 NOK 367

13.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.6 NOK 739

$38.32 NOK 370

99.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.89 NOK 414

$37.33 NOK 360

14.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.70 NOK 450

$35.73 NOK 345

30.70%

Cinema Ticket

$17.51 NOK 169

$13.95 NOK 135

25.52%

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

$330 NOK 3,179

$307 NOK 2,957

7.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,333 NOK 80.4K

$10.2K NOK 98.4K

-18.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 NOK 1,063

$39.71 NOK 383

177.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.54 NOK 458

$35.38 NOK 341

34.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 NOK 1,212

$90.2 NOK 869

39.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 NOK 1,247

$152 NOK 1,464

-14.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 NOK 13.3K

$971 NOK 9,366

41.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 NOK 10.2K

$976 NOK 9,407

8.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,251 NOK 21.7K

$1,122 NOK 10.8K

100.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,660 NOK 16.0K

$914 NOK 8,817

81.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,307 NOK 60.8K

$3,335 NOK 32.2K

89.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,811 NOK 46.4K

$3,041 NOK 29.3K

58.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,102 NOK 39.6K

$4,036 NOK 38.9K

1.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

3.8

13.68%

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

Last update for Trondheim: July 13, 2026

Last update for Skien: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,378 in Trondheim versus $971 in Skien. 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 2% higher in Trondheim, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $120 in Trondheim versus $100 in Skien. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $487 vs $431 – making Skien the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Skien: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Trondheim is pricier by about 18%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,170 per month in Trondheim and $3,520 in Skien. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $120 in Trondheim and $100 in Skien. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,780 in Trondheim and $2,347 in Skien. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Skien, where all-in costs run around $2,347, than in Trondheim at $2,780. In Skien it covers expenses comfortably, while in Trondheim it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Skien – 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 Skien. 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.