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 $3,375 per month in Boulder, CO vs $2,716 in Asker, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,758 per month in Boulder, CO vs $3,976 in Asker, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,141 per month in Boulder, CO vs $5,236 in Asker, rent included.

Boulder, CO costs about 24% more than Asker, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Boulder, CO and Asker sit above the global median – Boulder, CO by 153%, Asker by 103%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.30 $20.30

$25.32 NOK 243

-19.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 $69.4

$101 NOK 966

-31.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 $10.84

$13.31 NOK 128

-18.56%

Cappuccino

$5.96 $5.96

$4.85 NOK 46.48

22.89%

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

$3.34 $3.34

$2.63 NOK 25.22

27.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.21 NOK 21.24

9.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.34 $6.34

$11.07 NOK 106

-42.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 $7.17

$9.74 NOK 93.4

-26.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$2.19 NOK 20.96

-52.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.64 $3.64

$3.34 NOK 32.04

8.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$3.62 NOK 34.75

20.72%

Eggs

$5.61 $5.61

$4.19 NOK 40.14

33.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 $13.03

$11.46 NOK 110

13.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.76 $14.76

$14.03 NOK 135

5.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.79 $16.79

$31.26 NOK 300

-46.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$3.82 NOK 36.65

15.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.61 NOK 24.99

-44.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$3.36 NOK 32.18

13.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$4.28 NOK 41.05

13.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.55 NOK 24.49

5.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.52 NOK 24.19

2.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.87 NOK 27.50

-21.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.06 NOK 19.80

7.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.92 $9.92

$14.37 NOK 138

-30.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.23 $17.23

$18.32 NOK 176

-5.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$3.51 NOK 33.68

-48.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 $3.83

$4.38 NOK 41.98

-12.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$4.31 NOK 41.38

-37.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$152 $152

$79.4 NOK 762

91.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 $2.51

$10.18 NOK 97.7

-75.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.45 NOK 13.89

-4.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.13 $24.13

$42.76 NOK 410

-43.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$2.28 NOK 21.87

-64.91%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$36.4K NOK 349.4K

-26.73%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$41.8K NOK 400.9K

-39.18%

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

$189 $189

$221 NOK 2,120

-14.63%

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

$60.1 $60.1

$31.61 NOK 303

89.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.1 $71.1

$37.54 NOK 360

89.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.7 $77.7

$48.59 NOK 466

59.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.35 $20.35

$35.68 NOK 342

-42.97%

Cinema Ticket

$16.36 $16.36

$14.70 NOK 141

11.29%

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

$1,437 $1,437

$270 NOK 2,589

432.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$14.7K NOK 140.5K

112.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 $72.9

$105 NOK 1,011

-30.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.99 $36.99

$46.54 NOK 446

-20.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 $89.8

$122 NOK 1,170

-26.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 $99.0

$151 NOK 1,449

-34.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 $2,181

$1,517 NOK 14.6K

43.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,861 $1,861

$1,214 NOK 11.6K

53.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,016 $4,016

$2,205 NOK 21.1K

82.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,802 $2,802

$1,784 NOK 17.1K

57.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,413 $4,413

$9,722 NOK 93.2K

-54.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,374 $4,374

$4,052 NOK 38.9K

7.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,306 $5,306

$3,810 NOK 36.5K

39.25%

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Asker: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,181 in Boulder, CO versus $1,517 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 39% 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 $69.0 in Boulder, CO versus $101 in Asker. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $420 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 24% 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 $5,062 per month in Boulder, CO and $4,074 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 $1,437 per month in Boulder, CO and $270 in Asker. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% 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 $3,375 in Boulder, CO and $2,716 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 $2,716 versus $3,375 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.