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 $3,285 per month in Boulder, CO vs $2,771 in Asker, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,604 per month in Boulder, CO vs $3,992 in Asker, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,924 per month in Boulder, CO vs $5,213 in Asker, rent included.

Boulder, CO costs about 19% more than Asker, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Boulder, CO and Asker sit above the global median – Boulder, CO by 145%, Asker by 107%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$25.08 NOK 233

-20.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 $68.7

$103 NOK 956

-33.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 $11.04

$13.37 NOK 124

-17.43%

Cappuccino

$5.94 $5.94

$4.99 NOK 46.43

19.04%

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

$3.33 $3.33

$2.77 NOK 25.76

20.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.13 NOK 19.85

14.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.06 $6.06

$11.35 NOK 106

-46.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 $6.98

$9.48 NOK 88.2

-26.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$2.19 NOK 20.32

-52.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.33 NOK 30.94

10.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$3.49 NOK 32.45

28.65%

Eggs

$5.54 $5.54

$4.36 NOK 40.56

27.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 $13.29

$11.47 NOK 107

15.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.76 $14.76

$14.32 NOK 133

3.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.34 $17.34

$31.00 NOK 288

-44.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$3.63 NOK 33.74

20.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$2.50 NOK 23.23

-42.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.37 NOK 31.32

9.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.26 NOK 39.66

13.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.51 NOK 23.35

7.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.55 NOK 23.75

2.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.86 NOK 26.56

-21.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.05 NOK 19.11

12.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.19 $10.19

$13.92 NOK 129

-26.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.17 $17.17

$18.95 NOK 176

-9.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$3.51 NOK 32.64

-47.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 $3.83

$4.31 NOK 40.05

-11.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 $2.74

$4.15 NOK 38.63

-33.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$153 $153

$77.9 NOK 725

95.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 $2.54

$10.04 NOK 93.3

-74.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.46 NOK 13.55

-2.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.34 $24.34

$42.50 NOK 395

-42.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$2.26 NOK 21.03

-64.16%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$35.6K NOK 331.4K

-24.70%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$42.5K NOK 394.9K

-38.49%

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

$191 $191

$221 NOK 2,058

-13.60%

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

$60.0 $60.0

$31.51 NOK 293

90.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.4 $72.4

$38.06 NOK 354

90.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$48.86 NOK 454

63.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 $20.39

$34.97 NOK 325

-41.69%

Cinema Ticket

$16.74 $16.74

$15.07 NOK 140

11.08%

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

$1,440 $1,440

$265 NOK 2,465

443.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$14.6K NOK 136.2K

108.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.7 $73.7

$102 NOK 953

-28.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.83 $36.83

$46.50 NOK 432

-20.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 $89.2

$124 NOK 1,156

-28.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100.0 $100.0

$151 NOK 1,408

-33.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,122 $2,122

$1,512 NOK 14.1K

40.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,822 $1,822

$1,219 NOK 11.3K

49.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,968 $3,968

$2,252 NOK 20.9K

76.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,806 $2,806

$1,769 NOK 16.5K

58.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,412 $4,412

$10.2K NOK 94.7K

-56.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,514 $4,514

$8,864 NOK 82.4K

-49.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,220 $5,220

$3,918 NOK 36.4K

33.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

4.38

46.58%

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

Last update for Boulder, CO: April 21, 2026

Last update for Asker: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,122 in Boulder, CO versus $1,512 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 33% 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 $69 in Boulder, CO versus $103 in Asker. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $423 vs $466 – making Boulder, CO 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 19% more than Asker, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,927 per month in Boulder, CO and $4,157 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 $1,440 per month in Boulder, CO and $265 in Asker. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Boulder, CO – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,285 in Boulder, CO and $2,771 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 $2,771 versus $3,285 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.