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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,990 per month in Trondheim vs $2,357 in Skien, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,295 per month in Trondheim vs $3,341 in Skien, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,599 per month in Trondheim vs $4,326 in Skien, rent included.

Trondheim costs about 27% more than Skien, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Trondheim and Skien sit above the global median – Trondheim by 118%, Skien by 72%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.21 NOK 197

$21.53 NOK 200

-1.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 NOK 1,004

$106 NOK 989

1.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.17 NOK 150

$15.84 NOK 147

2.08%

Cappuccino

$5.58 NOK 51.8

$5.47 NOK 50.8

2.01%

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

$5.81 NOK 54.0

$4.23 NOK 39.25

37.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 NOK 40.19

$3.20 NOK 29.70

35.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.61 NOK 126

$12.01 NOK 112

13.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.10 NOK 122

$12.63 NOK 117

3.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.60 NOK 24.15

$2.07 NOK 19.24

25.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 NOK 33.37

$3.95 NOK 36.69

-9.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.83 NOK 35.57

$4.67 NOK 43.37

-17.99%

Eggs

$5.06 NOK 47.00

$5.80 NOK 53.8

-12.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 NOK 124

$13.58 NOK 126

-1.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.56 NOK 154

$15.54 NOK 144

6.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$32.75 NOK 304

$22.90 NOK 213

43.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 NOK 36.87

$3.40 NOK 31.61

16.76%

Banana (1kg)

$3.03 NOK 28.13

$2.76 NOK 25.60

9.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 NOK 36.38

$3.46 NOK 32.11

13.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 NOK 52.4

$6.05 NOK 56.2

-6.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 NOK 26.76

$2.38 NOK 22.06

21.01%

Onion (1kg)

$3.10 NOK 28.82

$2.99 NOK 27.75

3.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 NOK 27.77

$3.06 NOK 28.42

-2.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 NOK 21.81

$2.45 NOK 22.78

-4.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.92 NOK 166

$19.12 NOK 177

-6.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.02 NOK 177

$16.30 NOK 151

16.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.73 NOK 34.60

$3.52 NOK 32.67

5.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 NOK 41.99

$4.44 NOK 41.20

1.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.76 NOK 44.21

$3.47 NOK 32.20

37.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 NOK 952

$48.24 NOK 448

112.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.75 NOK 90.5

$11.14 NOK 103

-12.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 NOK 15.31

$1.91 NOK 17.75

-13.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.9 NOK 556

$72.6 NOK 674

-17.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 NOK 21.35

$2.25 NOK 20.89

2.22%

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

$45.8K NOK 425.2K

$48.5K NOK 450.7K

-5.67%

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

$46.7K NOK 433.7K

$43.9K NOK 407.8K

6.33%

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

$276 NOK 2,564

$97.8 NOK 908

182.35%

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

$36.40 NOK 338

$33.45 NOK 311

8.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.3 NOK 773

$58.5 NOK 543

42.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.49 NOK 404

$41.06 NOK 381

5.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.47 NOK 385

Cinema Ticket

$21.11 NOK 196

$15.30 NOK 142

37.97%

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

$303 NOK 2,812

$244 NOK 2,266

24.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,410 NOK 40.9K

$16.0K NOK 148.8K

-72.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 NOK 1,021

$63.0 NOK 585

74.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.5 NOK 478

$60.9 NOK 565

-15.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 NOK 1,158

$90.7 NOK 842

37.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 NOK 1,462

$161 NOK 1,495

-2.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,508 NOK 14.0K

$1,080 NOK 10.0K

39.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 NOK 11.2K

$987 NOK 9,168

22.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,241 NOK 20.8K

$1,050 NOK 9,751

113.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,685 NOK 15.6K

$971 NOK 9,017

73.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,577 NOK 61.1K

$3,603 NOK 33.5K

82.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,047 NOK 46.9K

$3,179 NOK 29.5K

58.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,203 NOK 39.0K

$4,293 NOK 39.9K

-2.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

4.37

21.74%

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

Last update for Trondheim: August 31, 2026

Last update for Skien: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,508 in Trondheim versus $1,080 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 Skien, 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 $106 in Skien. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $521 vs $481 – 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 27%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,486 per month in Trondheim and $3,536 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 $108 in Trondheim and $106 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 $2,990 in Trondheim and $2,357 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 $2,357, than in Trondheim at $2,990. 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.