Cost of Living Comparison Between Boulder, CO and Asker Cost of Living Comparison Between Boulder, CO and Asker

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,312 per month in Boulder, CO vs $2,845 in Asker, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,828 per month in Boulder, CO vs $4,037 in Asker, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,344 per month in Boulder, CO vs $5,229 in Asker, rent included.

Boulder, CO costs about 16% more than Asker, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Boulder, CO and Asker sit above the global median – Boulder, CO by 141%, Asker by 107%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.13 $20.13

$21.78 NOK 203

-7.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 $81.4

$63.0 NOK 586

29.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.24 $13.24

$12.60 NOK 117

5.08%

Cappuccino

$5.62 $5.62

$6.05 NOK 56.3

-7.11%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$2.91 NOK 27.05

-6.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.88 NOK 17.51

21.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.15 $6.15

$11.69 NOK 109

-47.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.24 $7.24

$11.86 NOK 110

-38.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$2.36 NOK 21.94

-59.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.32 $3.32

$3.46 NOK 32.23

-4.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$3.81 NOK 35.46

10.50%

Eggs

$5.67 $5.67

$3.67 NOK 34.16

54.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.58 $11.58

$3.78 NOK 35.20

206.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.82 $10.82

$11.60 NOK 108

-6.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.91 $17.91

$8.81 NOK 82.0

103.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$3.47 NOK 32.25

63.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

$2.78 NOK 25.86

-50.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$3.57 NOK 33.19

21.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$4.72 NOK 43.89

-2.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.71 NOK 25.23

-10.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.94 NOK 27.39

-11.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.59 NOK 14.83

50.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.20 NOK 20.47

-13.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.74 $10.74

$18.95 NOK 176

-43.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.97 $16.97

$16.69 NOK 155

1.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$3.45 NOK 32.07

-46.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.22 NOK 39.31

6.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 $2.68

$4.76 NOK 44.32

-43.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$150 $150

$84.2 NOK 783

78.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 $2.44

$12.31 NOK 115

-80.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.83 NOK 16.99

-25.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.97 $23.97

$70.3 NOK 654

-65.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$2.34 NOK 21.77

-54.70%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$48.5K NOK 451.2K

-25.81%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$45.3K NOK 421.8K

-44.12%

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

$202 $202

$431 NOK 4,009

-53.13%

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

$70.8 $70.8

$31.79 NOK 296

122.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.1 $75.1

$32.28 NOK 300

132.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.5 $80.5

$50.7 NOK 472

58.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.65 $19.65

$37.57 NOK 350

-47.70%

Cinema Ticket

$14.85 $14.85

$15.98 NOK 149

-7.07%

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

$1,592 $1,592

$248 NOK 2,306

542.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.8K $30.8K

$16.1K NOK 149.9K

90.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 $58.4

$101 NOK 941

-42.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.43 $34.43

$62.5 NOK 582

-44.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 $92.9

$136 NOK 1,263

-31.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$160 NOK 1,485

-9.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,358 $2,358

$1,532 NOK 14.3K

53.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,830 $1,830

$1,179 NOK 11.0K

55.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,298 $4,298

$2,182 NOK 20.3K

96.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,114 $3,114

$1,820 NOK 16.9K

71.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,384 $4,384

$6,529 NOK 60.8K

-32.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,509 $4,509

$4,295 NOK 40.0K

4.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,439 $5,439

$3,963 NOK 36.9K

37.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.09

3.87

57.36%

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

Last update for Boulder, CO: August 31, 2026

Last update for Asker: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,358 in Boulder, CO versus $1,532 in Asker. 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 37% higher in Boulder, CO, 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 $81.0 in Boulder, CO versus $63.0 in Asker. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $399 vs $362 – making Asker 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

Boulder, CO vs Asker: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boulder, CO costs about 16% more than Asker, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,968 per month in Boulder, CO and $4,268 in Asker. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,592 per month in Boulder, CO and $248 in Asker. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Boulder, CO, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,312 in Boulder, CO and $2,845 in Asker. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Asker costs $2,845 versus $3,312 in Boulder, CO. 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 Asker. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Boulder, CO makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.