Cost of Living Comparison Between Arlington, VA and Oslo Cost of Living Comparison Between Arlington, VA and Oslo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,515 per month in Arlington, VA vs $3,203 in Oslo, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,406 per month in Arlington, VA vs $4,686 in Oslo, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,298 per month in Arlington, VA vs $6,170 in Oslo, rent included.

Arlington, VA costs about 10% more than Oslo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Arlington, VA and Oslo sit above the global median – Arlington, VA by 163%, Oslo by 140%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.01 $24.01

$25.37 NOK 244

-5.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.1 $89.1

$120 NOK 1,160

-26.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.91 $11.91

$14.96 NOK 144

-20.39%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.08 NOK 48.89

10.83%

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

$2.84 $2.84

$4.10 NOK 39.51

-30.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.19 NOK 30.74

-20.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.07 $8.07

$12.37 NOK 119

-34.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.85 $8.85

$11.03 NOK 106

-19.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$2.40 NOK 23.15

-49.58%

White Bread (500g)

$4.20 $4.20

$4.03 NOK 38.86

4.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.08 $7.08

$3.67 NOK 35.37

92.92%

Eggs

$4.42 $4.42

$4.95 NOK 47.65

-10.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.60 $17.60

$13.66 NOK 132

28.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.33 $15.33

$16.41 NOK 158

-6.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.72 $21.72

$31.39 NOK 302

-30.81%

Apples (1kg)

$6.29 $6.29

$3.60 NOK 34.72

74.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.63 NOK 25.35

-21.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.45 NOK 33.27

48.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$5.07 NOK 48.80

14.20%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.51 NOK 24.14

37.45%

Onion (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.71 NOK 26.12

24.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.78 NOK 26.73

-3.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.41 NOK 23.17

1.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.45 $12.45

$17.46 NOK 168

-28.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.87 $16.87

$18.64 NOK 180

-9.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.41 NOK 32.88

-42.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 $4.23

$4.35 NOK 41.91

-2.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.60 $3.60

$4.18 NOK 40.29

-13.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$126 $126

$79.6 NOK 766

58.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$10.20 NOK 98.2

-70.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.41 NOK 13.56

11.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.02 $22.02

$41.75 NOK 402

-47.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$2.27 NOK 21.88

-62.11%

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

$30.2K $30.2K

$36.7K NOK 353.0K

-17.72%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$42.3K NOK 407.8K

-39.62%

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

$206 $206

$296 NOK 2,852

-30.55%

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

$59.0 $59.0

$31.29 NOK 301

88.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$55.5 NOK 534

27.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.2 $76.2

$57.4 NOK 552

32.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.71 $23.71

$28.40 NOK 274

-16.51%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 $15.05

$18.01 NOK 173

-16.44%

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

$2,114 $2,114

$274 NOK 2,644

670.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.0K $40.0K

$14.7K NOK 141.4K

172.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 $55.4

$103 NOK 995

-46.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.1 $51.1

$64.5 NOK 621

-20.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 $93.4

$121 NOK 1,164

-22.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$168 NOK 1,614

-15.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,516 $2,516

$1,700 NOK 16.4K

47.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,890 $1,890

$1,441 NOK 13.9K

31.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,298 $4,298

$2,677 NOK 25.8K

60.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,493 $3,493

$2,180 NOK 21.0K

60.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,364 $6,364

$11.5K NOK 110.9K

-44.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,027 $5,027

$6,961 NOK 67.1K

-27.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,694 $6,694

$4,256 NOK 41.0K

57.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

5.08

28.94%

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

Last update for Arlington, VA: July 14, 2026

Last update for Oslo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,516 in Arlington, VA versus $1,700 in Oslo. 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 57% higher in Arlington, VA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Arlington, VA versus $120 in Oslo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $497 vs $505 – making Arlington, VA 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

Arlington, VA vs Oslo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arlington, VA costs about 10% more than Oslo, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,272 per month in Arlington, VA and $4,804 in Oslo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Arlington, VA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Arlington, VA and $120 in Oslo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,515 in Arlington, VA and $3,203 in Oslo. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Oslo costs $3,203 versus $3,515 in Arlington, VA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Oslo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arlington, VA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.