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 $3,527 per month in Arlington, VA vs $3,482 in Oslo, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,438 per month in Arlington, VA vs $4,887 in Oslo, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,348 per month in Arlington, VA vs $6,292 in Oslo, rent included.

Arlington, VA costs about 1% more than Oslo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Arlington, VA and Oslo sit above the global median – Arlington, VA by 157%, Oslo by 153%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.93 $23.93

$21.52 NOK 200

11.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100.0 $100.0

$127 NOK 1,181

-21.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 $11.04

$15.83 NOK 147

-30.26%

Cappuccino

$5.89 $5.89

$6.01 NOK 55.8

-2.00%

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

$3.01 $3.01

$4.17 NOK 38.71

-27.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.43 NOK 31.81

-26.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.89 $7.89

$11.58 NOK 108

-31.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.79 $8.79

$12.62 NOK 117

-30.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$2.57 NOK 23.89

-52.92%

White Bread (500g)

$4.55 $4.55

$4.31 NOK 40.04

5.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$4.59 NOK 42.61

15.25%

Eggs

$5.28 $5.28

$5.96 NOK 55.4

-11.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.35 $21.35

$14.97 NOK 139

42.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.57 $15.57

$15.70 NOK 146

-0.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.09 $23.09

$30.01 NOK 279

-23.06%

Apples (1kg)

$5.55 $5.55

$3.48 NOK 32.33

59.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.67 NOK 24.82

-29.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$3.63 NOK 33.67

25.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.88 $5.88

$5.97 NOK 55.4

-1.51%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$2.74 NOK 25.48

16.79%

Onion (1kg)

$3.73 $3.73

$2.94 NOK 27.30

26.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$3.21 NOK 29.80

-28.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.46 NOK 22.79

-0.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.65 $10.65

$19.43 NOK 180

-45.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.06 $17.06

$16.63 NOK 154

2.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.46 NOK 32.15

-19.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$4.29 NOK 39.85

-31.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.79 $2.79

$4.95 NOK 46.00

-43.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$122 $122

$83.6 NOK 776

46.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 $4.08

$12.10 NOK 112

-66.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.92 NOK 17.82

-35.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.72 $24.72

$71.7 NOK 666

-65.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$2.27 NOK 21.10

-58.59%

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

$34.6K $34.6K

$50.0K NOK 464.3K

-30.73%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$45.3K NOK 420.2K

-45.50%

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

$161 $161

$431 NOK 4,001

-62.64%

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

$52.4 $52.4

$32.70 NOK 304

60.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.8 $61.8

$56.7 NOK 526

8.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.1 $71.1

$59.6 NOK 553

19.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.11 $19.11

$28.91 NOK 268

-33.90%

Cinema Ticket

$16.49 $16.49

$19.06 NOK 177

-13.48%

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

$1,613 $1,613

$251 NOK 2,335

541.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.7K $36.7K

$15.8K NOK 147.0K

131.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 $56.0

$103 NOK 952

-45.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 $62.6

$62.1 NOK 576

0.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$138 NOK 1,283

-25.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 $160

$161 NOK 1,492

-0.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,456 $2,456

$2,079 NOK 19.3K

18.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,997 $1,997

$1,577 NOK 14.6K

26.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,777 $4,777

$3,043 NOK 28.3K

56.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,604 $3,604

$2,251 NOK 20.9K

60.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,153 $6,153

$12.1K NOK 112.6K

-49.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,908 $4,908

$6,880 NOK 63.9K

-28.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,734 $6,734

$4,469 NOK 41.5K

50.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.27

4.96

26.41%

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

Last update for Arlington, VA: August 29, 2026

Last update for Oslo: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,456 in Arlington, VA versus $2,079 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 51% 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 $100 in Arlington, VA versus $127 in Oslo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $507 vs $518 – 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 1% 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 $5,291 per month in Arlington, VA and $5,223 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 $100 in Arlington, VA and $127 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 $3,527 in Arlington, VA and $3,482 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 $3,482 versus $3,527 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.