Cost of Living Comparison Between Trondheim and Tonsberg Cost of Living Comparison Between Trondheim and Tonsberg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,791 per month in Trondheim vs $2,478 in Tonsberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,121 per month in Trondheim vs $3,681 in Tonsberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,452 per month in Trondheim vs $4,885 in Tonsberg, rent included.

Trondheim costs about 13% more than Tonsberg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Trondheim and Tonsberg sit above the global median – Trondheim by 109%, Tonsberg by 85%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.59 NOK 217

$25.36 NOK 243

-10.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 NOK 1,171

$102 NOK 980

19.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.08 NOK 135

$13.89 NOK 133

1.37%

Cappuccino

$4.68 NOK 44.89

$4.79 NOK 45.97

-2.30%

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

$3.63 NOK 34.86

$5.15 NOK 49.42

-29.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 NOK 28.18

$4.94 NOK 47.35

-40.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.71 NOK 103

$9.96 NOK 95.5

7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.59 NOK 111

$9.66 NOK 92.6

19.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.63 NOK 25.24

$2.21 NOK 21.15

19.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.52 NOK 33.79

$3.39 NOK 32.51

3.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.96 NOK 38.00

$3.20 NOK 30.70

23.75%

Eggs

$4.44 NOK 42.57

$4.33 NOK 41.49

2.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.26 NOK 118

$11.95 NOK 115

2.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.27 NOK 146

$14.90 NOK 143

2.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.03 NOK 269

$27.98 NOK 268

0.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 NOK 35.76

$3.52 NOK 33.80

5.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 NOK 28.21

$2.41 NOK 23.09

21.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 NOK 24.79

$3.25 NOK 31.20

-20.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.13 NOK 49.22

$4.41 NOK 42.26

16.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.03 NOK 29.03

$2.45 NOK 23.46

23.67%

Onion (1kg)

$3.36 NOK 32.24

$2.47 NOK 23.66

36.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.20 NOK 30.69

$2.74 NOK 26.24

16.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 NOK 23.44

$1.91 NOK 18.33

27.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.15 NOK 145

$14.95 NOK 143

1.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.59 NOK 178

$19.33 NOK 185

-3.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.62 NOK 34.71

$3.41 NOK 32.66

6.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 NOK 46.35

$4.13 NOK 39.62

16.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.58 NOK 43.96

$4.18 NOK 40.06

9.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.3 NOK 876

$72.3 NOK 694

26.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.10 NOK 145

$10.16 NOK 97.5

48.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 NOK 21.43

$1.40 NOK 13.42

59.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.9 NOK 843

$47.45 NOK 455

85.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 NOK 20.31

$2.10 NOK 20.14

0.95%

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

$31.8K NOK 304.8K

$34.8K NOK 334.2K

-8.79%

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

$42.6K NOK 408.5K

$38.7K NOK 371.6K

9.92%

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

$319 NOK 3,060

$237 NOK 2,272

34.67%

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

$42.81 NOK 411

$37.87 NOK 363

13.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.4 NOK 723

$54.3 NOK 521

38.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.89 NOK 402

$49.98 NOK 479

-16.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.73 NOK 448

$35.76 NOK 343

30.68%

Cinema Ticket

$17.42 NOK 167

$16.26 NOK 156

7.13%

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

$324 NOK 3,107

$285 NOK 2,734

13.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,636 NOK 82.8K

$10.0K NOK 96.1K

-13.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 NOK 1,078

$96.0 NOK 921

17.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.40 NOK 455

$51.9 NOK 498

-8.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 NOK 1,242

$110 NOK 1,052

18.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 NOK 1,284

$152 NOK 1,462

-12.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,361 NOK 13.1K

$1,226 NOK 11.8K

11.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 NOK 10.2K

$935 NOK 8,966

13.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 NOK 21.8K

$1,438 NOK 13.8K

57.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 NOK 16.0K

$1,203 NOK 11.5K

38.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,217 NOK 59.6K

$5,119 NOK 49.1K

21.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,843 NOK 46.5K

$4,108 NOK 39.4K

17.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,245 NOK 40.7K

$4,407 NOK 42.3K

-3.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

4.38

-1.37%

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

Last update for Trondheim: July 22, 2026

Last update for Tonsberg: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,361 in Trondheim versus $1,226 in Tonsberg. 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 4% higher in Tonsberg, 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 $122 in Trondheim versus $102 in Tonsberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $488 vs $458 – making Tonsberg 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 Tonsberg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Trondheim is pricier by about 13%, 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 $4,186 per month in Trondheim and $3,717 in Tonsberg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $324 per month in Trondheim and $285 in Tonsberg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Trondheim, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,791 in Trondheim and $2,478 in Tonsberg. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Tonsberg – 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 Tonsberg. 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.