Cost of Living Comparison Between Trondheim and Somerville, MA Cost of Living Comparison Between Trondheim and Somerville, MA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,009 in Trondheim versus $4,338 in Somerville, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,335 in Trondheim versus $6,301 in Somerville, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,661 in Trondheim versus $8,264 in Somerville, MA.

Living in Trondheim costs roughly 31% less than in Somerville, MA, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Trondheim 120% above, Somerville, MA 217% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.98 NOK 198

$25.33 $25.33

-17.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 NOK 1,036

$94.6 $94.6

16.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.84 NOK 149

$13.59 $13.59

16.56%

Cappuccino

$5.62 NOK 52.9

$5.49 $5.49

2.37%

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

$5.77 NOK 54.4

$2.96 $2.96

94.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 NOK 41.13

$2.32 $2.32

88.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.62 NOK 128

$7.93 $7.93

71.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.21 NOK 124

$8.94 $8.94

47.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.59 NOK 24.37

$1.05 $1.05

146.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 NOK 33.49

$4.08 $4.08

-12.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.90 NOK 36.78

$5.42 $5.42

-28.04%

Eggs

$4.88 NOK 46.00

$4.78 $4.78

2.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 NOK 127

$14.99 $14.99

-10.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.46 NOK 155

$14.19 $14.19

16.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$32.40 NOK 305

$17.70 $17.70

83.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 NOK 36.65

$6.78 $6.78

-42.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 NOK 27.67

$1.93 $1.93

52.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 NOK 37.68

$5.71 $5.71

-29.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.77 NOK 54.3

$6.72 $6.72

-14.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 NOK 27.23

$2.16 $2.16

33.80%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 NOK 29.56

$2.24 $2.24

40.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 NOK 27.06

$2.89 $2.89

-0.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 NOK 21.22

$2.83 $2.83

-20.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.01 NOK 170

$13.49 $13.49

33.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.22 NOK 181

$15.96 $15.96

20.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 NOK 33.32

$2.14 $2.14

65.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 NOK 44.18

$4.07 $4.07

15.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.88 NOK 45.99

$2.29 $2.29

113.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 NOK 963

$91.3 $91.3

11.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.49 NOK 89.4

$2.58 $2.58

267.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 NOK 15.15

$1.71 $1.71

-5.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.3 NOK 577

$27.96 $27.96

119.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.38 NOK 22.40

$1.01 $1.01

135.64%

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

$47.1K NOK 443.9K

$36.9K $36.9K

27.74%

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

$46.4K NOK 437.0K

$26.5K $26.5K

74.94%

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

$282 NOK 2,655

$260 $260

8.47%

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

$36.46 NOK 343

$76.2 $76.2

-52.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.6 NOK 787

$76.4 $76.4

9.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.16 NOK 416

$105 $105

-57.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.28 NOK 389

Cinema Ticket

$21.08 NOK 199

$15.70 $15.70

34.27%

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

$304 NOK 2,860

$1,804 $1,804

-83.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,455 NOK 42.0K

$29.7K $29.7K

-84.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 NOK 1,040

$48.50 $48.50

127.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 NOK 496

$38.89 $38.89

35.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 NOK 1,171

$102 $102

22.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 NOK 1,484

$160 $160

-1.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 NOK 14.1K

$2,927 $2,927

-48.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 NOK 11.6K

$2,647 $2,647

-53.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,253 NOK 21.2K

$4,610 $4,610

-51.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 NOK 15.9K

$4,419 $4,419

-61.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,555 NOK 61.8K

$7,595 $7,595

-13.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,105 NOK 48.1K

$5,581 $5,581

-8.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,338 NOK 40.9K

$5,268 $5,268

-17.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

6.28

-15.29%

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

Last update for Trondheim: September 12, 2026

Last update for Somerville, MA: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,496 in Trondheim and $2,927 in Somerville, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Somerville, MA pays 21% 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 $95.0 in Somerville, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $517 vs $470 per month, with Somerville, MA 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 Somerville, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Trondheim and Somerville, MA differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($3,009 vs $4,338 including rent). Trondheim is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Somerville, MA. 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 $2,927 in Somerville, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $304 in Trondheim versus $1,804 in Somerville, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Somerville, MA pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Trondheim is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Trondheim and Somerville, MA 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 Trondheim gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Somerville, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.