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: $2,748 in Trondheim versus $4,197 in Somerville, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,158 in Trondheim versus $6,185 in Somerville, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,569 in Trondheim versus $8,174 in Somerville, MA.

Living in Trondheim costs roughly 35% less than in Somerville, MA, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Trondheim 105% above, Somerville, MA 213% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.17 NOK 206

$25.23 $25.23

-12.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 NOK 1,137

$98.8 $98.8

23.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.43 NOK 134

$13.57 $13.57

6.34%

Cappuccino

$4.84 NOK 45.00

$5.05 $5.05

-4.16%

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

$3.58 NOK 33.30

$2.73 $2.73

31.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 NOK 27.02

$2.14 $2.14

35.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.67 NOK 99.2

$7.55 $7.55

41.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.42 NOK 106

$9.20 $9.20

24.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.60 NOK 24.19

$1.27 $1.27

104.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 NOK 32.48

$4.10 $4.10

-14.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.84 NOK 35.70

$3.13 $3.13

22.68%

Eggs

$4.43 NOK 41.15

$4.77 $4.77

-7.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.20 NOK 113

$16.98 $16.98

-28.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.90 NOK 138

$13.17 $13.17

13.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.82 NOK 268

$20.21 $20.21

42.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 NOK 35.80

$5.73 $5.73

-32.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 NOK 27.37

$2.25 $2.25

31.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 NOK 24.49

$5.86 $5.86

-54.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 NOK 48.10

$6.55 $6.55

-20.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 NOK 26.87

$4.36 $4.36

-33.72%

Onion (1kg)

$3.28 NOK 30.49

$2.13 $2.13

53.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.17 NOK 29.41

$2.77 $2.77

14.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 NOK 22.18

$2.20 $2.20

8.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.01 NOK 139

$13.87 $13.87

8.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.82 NOK 175

$15.04 $15.04

25.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.84 NOK 35.65

$2.15 $2.15

78.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 NOK 43.37

$2.03 $2.03

130.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.65 NOK 43.20

$2.23 $2.23

108.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.3 NOK 848

$89.6 $89.6

1.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.44 NOK 143

$2.59 $2.59

496.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 NOK 21.15

$1.78 $1.78

28.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.6 NOK 814

$27.99 $27.99

212.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 NOK 20.14

$0.93 $0.93

133.33%

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

$32.0K NOK 297.3K

$30.3K $30.3K

5.49%

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

$41.8K NOK 388.2K

$25.7K $25.7K

62.59%

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

$317 NOK 2,948

$192 $192

65.64%

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

$43.17 NOK 401

$71.7 $71.7

-39.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.4 NOK 700

$76.8 $76.8

-1.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.29 NOK 393

$104 $104

-59.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.17 NOK 429

Cinema Ticket

$17.30 NOK 161

$15.52 $15.52

11.47%

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

$326 NOK 3,030

$1,643 $1,643

-80.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,458 NOK 78.6K

$27.0K $27.0K

-68.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 NOK 1,051

$57.2 $57.2

97.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.03 NOK 446

$39.81 $39.81

20.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 NOK 1,206

$104 $104

24.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 NOK 1,229

$150 $150

-11.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 NOK 13.1K

$2,837 $2,837

-50.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 NOK 10.0K

$2,625 $2,625

-58.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,208 NOK 20.5K

$4,585 $4,585

-51.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,702 NOK 15.8K

$4,484 $4,484

-62.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,371 NOK 59.2K

$7,657 $7,657

-16.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,083 NOK 47.2K

$5,655 $5,655

-10.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,336 NOK 40.3K

$5,444 $5,444

-20.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

6.47

-33.23%

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

Last update for Trondheim: June 1, 2026

Last update for Somerville, MA: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,407 in Trondheim and $2,837 in Somerville, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Somerville, MA pays 26% 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: $122 in Trondheim vs $99.0 in Somerville, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $488 vs $461 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 53% in total monthly costs ($2,748 vs $4,197 including rent). Trondheim is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Somerville, MA earns 26% less. 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: $1,407 in Trondheim versus $2,837 in Somerville, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $326 in Trondheim versus $1,643 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 6% 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 53% less than in Somerville, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.