Cost of Living Comparison Between Arendal and Oslo Cost of Living Comparison Between Arendal and Oslo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,777 in Arendal versus $3,482 in Oslo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,905 in Arendal versus $4,887 in Oslo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,034 in Arendal versus $6,292 in Oslo.

Living in Arendal costs roughly 20% less than in Oslo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Arendal 102% above, Oslo 153% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.31 NOK 189

$21.52 NOK 200

-5.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 NOK 629

$127 NOK 1,186

-46.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.90 NOK 148

$15.83 NOK 148

0.44%

Cappuccino

$5.55 NOK 51.7

$6.01 NOK 56.0

-7.65%

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

$3.60 NOK 33.54

$4.17 NOK 38.85

-13.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 NOK 31.80

$3.43 NOK 31.92

-0.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.90 NOK 111

$11.58 NOK 108

2.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.15 NOK 113

$12.62 NOK 118

-3.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 NOK 22.33

$2.57 NOK 23.97

-6.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 NOK 33.58

$4.31 NOK 40.18

-16.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.95 NOK 36.78

$4.59 NOK 42.76

-13.94%

Eggs

$5.04 NOK 46.95

$5.96 NOK 55.6

-15.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.87 NOK 139

$14.97 NOK 139

-0.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.26 NOK 142

$15.70 NOK 146

-2.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.60 NOK 322

$30.01 NOK 280

15.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 NOK 33.60

$3.48 NOK 32.45

3.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 NOK 26.36

$2.67 NOK 24.91

5.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 NOK 33.90

$3.63 NOK 33.79

0.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.95 NOK 46.14

$5.97 NOK 55.6

-17.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 NOK 24.26

$2.74 NOK 25.57

-5.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 NOK 29.32

$2.94 NOK 27.40

7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 NOK 25.93

$3.21 NOK 29.91

-13.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 NOK 21.85

$2.46 NOK 22.87

-4.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.77 NOK 166

$19.43 NOK 181

-8.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.84 NOK 138

$16.63 NOK 155

-10.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.85 NOK 35.86

$3.46 NOK 32.27

11.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 NOK 41.27

$4.29 NOK 39.99

3.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.81 NOK 35.49

$4.95 NOK 46.16

-23.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.9 NOK 847

$83.6 NOK 779

8.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.40 NOK 59.6

$12.10 NOK 113

-47.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 NOK 16.35

$1.92 NOK 17.89

-8.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$104 NOK 972

$71.7 NOK 668

45.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 NOK 21.69

$2.27 NOK 21.18

2.64%

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

$48.4K NOK 450.8K

$50.0K NOK 466.0K

-3.25%

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

$42.5K NOK 395.8K

$45.3K NOK 421.7K

-6.14%

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

$251 NOK 2,337

$431 NOK 4,015

-41.78%

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

$35.15 NOK 327

$32.70 NOK 305

7.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.5 NOK 750

$56.7 NOK 528

41.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.73 NOK 352

$59.6 NOK 555

-36.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 NOK 269

Cinema Ticket

$15.95 NOK 149

$19.06 NOK 178

-16.32%

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

$324 NOK 3,021

$251 NOK 2,343

28.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K NOK 134.4K

$15.8K NOK 147.5K

-8.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$130 NOK 1,210

$103 NOK 956

26.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.60 NOK 416

$62.1 NOK 578

-28.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 NOK 1,206

$138 NOK 1,287

-6.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$205 NOK 1,912

$161 NOK 1,498

27.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 NOK 10.6K

$2,079 NOK 19.4K

-45.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,074 NOK 10.0K

$1,577 NOK 14.7K

-31.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 NOK 15.1K

$3,043 NOK 28.4K

-46.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 NOK 13.9K

$2,251 NOK 21.0K

-33.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.1K NOK 113.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,880 NOK 64.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,115 NOK 38.3K

$4,469 NOK 41.6K

-7.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

4.96

-5.65%

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

Last update for Arendal: August 31, 2026

Last update for Oslo: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,141 in Arendal and $2,079 in Oslo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 9% 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: $67.0 in Arendal vs $127 in Oslo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $506 vs $518 per month, with Arendal 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

Arendal vs Oslo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arendal and Oslo differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($2,777 vs $3,482 including rent). Arendal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Oslo. 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: $1,141 in Arendal versus $2,079 in Oslo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $324 in Arendal versus $251 in Oslo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Oslo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,777 in Arendal versus $3,482 in Oslo, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Arendal but tight or insufficient in Oslo. The gap between the two cities makes Arendal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Arendal and Oslo 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 Arendal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.