Norway
Oslo makes sense if
- Access to stronger healthcare matters most to you.
- You want the broader career options in this comparison.
- You want the deeper culture and food scene.
Oslo vs Trondheim
Oslo offers capital-city services in a compact setting where forest and fjord are close by. Trondheim is a smaller university city on a fjord, with forest and water nearby and a deliberately low-key pace; winter darkness is long in both.
The grey shape is all 283 cities; each row says whether lower or higher is better. Ratings out of 10 are our reviewed estimates; the rest is published data. How we measure
The choice in one minute
Trondheim makes sense if
- You want the easier housing and budget equation in this comparison.
- A calmer day-to-day safety profile matters most to you.
What matters to you
Set how much each area counts. The ranking updates as you go. Climate and values are left out because there is no better or worse there, only your taste.
Money
Nature & outdoors
City life
Safety & health
Work & family
Moving & settling in
- 1Oslo74
Leads on nature & outdoors, city life, work & family and moving & settling in; stands out for flight connections and beach & sea.
- 2Trondheim70
Narrowly best on money: 63 vs Oslo's 60; stands out for space for the money and less petty crime.
Scores out of 100, averaged from the areas you weighted. For a ranking built around your own situation, take the quiz.
Side by side
Money
Rent on a new lease, everyday prices and tax.
Section score out of 100
Trondheim63Oslo60
One-bedroom rent
Per month, new lease, citywide
NOK 1,320/moNOK 24K/mo
- NOK 17K/mo
- NOK 13.2K/mo, leads
Rent as share of local pay
One-bedroom rent vs. typical net local pay
21%120%
- ~38%
- ~32%, leads
Everyday prices
Excluding rent · United States = 100
25131
- 102
- 102
Income tax + social contributions
Range: average-wage rate to top marginal rate; the dot marks its midpoint
0%46%
- 28–40%
- 28–40%
Climate
The year month by month. Whether it suits you is yours to judge.
Solid line: average daytime high. Dashed: night-time low. Point at the chart for any month; point at a city name to shade its range.
Bright days
Under 80% cloud and under 1 mm rain
30 days347 days
- 175 days, leads
- 110 days
Muggy days
Days that feel sticky (dew point)
0 days365 days
- 5 days
- 2 days
Air pollution
Annual mean fine particles (PM2.5)
4.6 µg/m³84 µg/m³
- 7.4 µg/m³
- 5.7 µg/m³
Nature & outdoors
How easily you get to water, mountains and green space.
Section score out of 100
Oslo78Trondheim68
Beach & sea
110
- 7/10, leads
- 5/10
Mountains
110
- 7/10
- 7/10
City parks
110
- 9/10, leads
- 8/10
Weekend escapes
110
- 9/10, leads
- 8/10
City life
Getting around on foot, food, culture and the feel of the streets.
Section score out of 100
Oslo78Trondheim71
Walkability
110
- 7/10
- 7/10
Public transport
110
- 8/10, leads
- 6/10
Restaurants
110
- 7/10
- 7/10
Public spaces
110
- 9/10, leads
- 8/10
Safety & health
Crime, how safe people feel, and the care you would get.
Section score out of 100
Trondheim83Oslo81
Homicide rate
Per 100,000 residents per year
0.247
- 0.7
- 0.7
Feels safe day to day
110
- 8/10
- 9/10, leads
Healthcare quality
110
- 9/10, leads
- 8/10
English-speaking care
110
- 9/10
- 9/10
Work & family
Jobs, working culture, schools and raising kids.
Section score out of 100
Oslo77Trondheim72
Job market
110
- 7/10, leads
- 6/10
Jobs in English
110
- 9/10, leads
- 8/10
Work–life balance
110
- 9/10
- 9/10
Schools
110
- 8/10
- 8/10
Moving & settling in
Visas, language, paperwork and staying connected.
Section score out of 100
Oslo67Trondheim60
Visa & residence difficulty
Typical case; your passport changes this
110
- 6/10
- 6/10
Language barrier
For an English speaker
110
- 2/10
- 2/10
Openness to newcomers
110
- 5/10
- 5/10
Flight connections
110
- 8/10, leads
- 5/10
Society & values
Where each city sits. There is no right end of these scales.
Social attitudes
ConservativeLiberal
- 9/10
- 9/10
LGBTQ+ acceptance
LowHigh
- 10/10
- 9/10
Diversity
HomogeneousDiverse
- 8/10
- 6/10
Religion in public life
ReligiousSecular
- 10/10
- 9/10
Life in each city
Daily life
Oslo
Oslo is small and low-rise, a walkable city you can cross on foot or by metro without much thought. Density is light, neighbourhoods feel settled and well kept, and car dependency is minimal.
Trondheim
Trondheim's scale is its appeal: it is compact, walkable, and easy to navigate without a car. The urban mix works well for daily errands, while the calm tempo and average housing space make the city feel more like a settled regional centre than a major metropolis.
Safety
Oslo
Serious crime is rare, the streets feel safe to walk after dark, and traffic is handled with real care. Add a stable, trusted political backdrop and Oslo becomes the kind of place where safety simply stops being something residents think about.
Trondheim
Violent crime is close to nonexistent, traffic is calm and well managed, and walking home alone at night barely registers as a concern. Petty theft exists but stays low.
Work and healthcare
Oslo
People who secure a role can expect local pay that is high by this comparison's standards. The public system is strong and dependable, with high-quality care and emergency services people can count on.
Trondheim
Trondheim has a workable market for in-demand fields, with particular strength in its established industries and startup scene, though the overall range is not broad. Care is solid and the public system keeps out-of-pocket costs low, with reliable emergency services and easy access to English-speaking medical staff.
Culture and public life
Oslo
The cafe culture is strong and the museum and arts offering is respectable, anchored by Oslo's waterfront cultural quarter. Oslo is a clean, wealthy capital, well maintained throughout.
Trondheim
Culture here is intimate and student-flavoured rather than grand: a good cafe habit, a respectable music and art scene, and a handful of museums and venues. Trondheim is a clean, tidy Norwegian city, well kept throughout.
Summary
Oslo is the practical choice for a wider city network and access to capital services. Trondheim fits someone who prefers a compact university setting and a slower routine, even through long winters.
Read on
Which of these fits you?
These numbers treat everyone the same. The quiz weighs them by your budget, climate taste, family and work, and ranks all 283 cities for you.