Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge, MA and Arendal Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge, MA and Arendal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,426 in Cambridge, MA versus $2,665 in Arendal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,767 in Cambridge, MA versus $3,809 in Arendal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,108 in Cambridge, MA versus $4,952 in Arendal.

Living in Cambridge, MA is roughly 66% more expensive than in Arendal, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge, MA 228% above, Arendal 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.45 $19.45

$19.85 NOK 191

-2.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.4 $99.4

$64.7 NOK 622

53.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.13 $12.13

$15.95 NOK 153

-23.95%

Cappuccino

$5.37 $5.37

$5.61 NOK 53.9

-4.28%

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

$3.18 $3.18

$3.68 NOK 35.39

-13.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$3.28 NOK 31.52

-28.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$11.30 NOK 109

-27.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.96 $7.96

$12.19 NOK 117

-34.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$2.35 NOK 22.63

-51.49%

White Bread (500g)

$4.58 $4.58

$3.59 NOK 34.56

27.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.12 $7.12

$3.90 NOK 37.48

82.56%

Eggs

$4.93 $4.93

$4.72 NOK 45.36

4.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.71 $15.71

$14.58 NOK 140

7.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.22 $14.22

$14.87 NOK 143

-4.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 $19.16

$33.60 NOK 323

-42.98%

Apples (1kg)

$7.07 $7.07

$3.53 NOK 33.91

100.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.75 NOK 26.46

-39.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$3.40 NOK 32.69

64.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.43 $6.43

$4.70 NOK 45.21

36.81%

Potato (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$2.51 NOK 24.08

75.30%

Onion (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$3.10 NOK 29.85

17.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.87 NOK 27.56

0.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.37 NOK 22.77

20.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.56 $12.56

$17.67 NOK 170

-28.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.31 $16.31

$14.40 NOK 138

13.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.56 NOK 34.26

-44.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.59 $5.59

$4.34 NOK 41.72

28.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.75 NOK 36.04

-36.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.8 $88.8

$88.9 NOK 855

-0.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 $2.03

$6.16 NOK 59.2

-67.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.75 NOK 16.86

-9.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.20 $11.20

$105 NOK 1,014

-89.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.22 NOK 21.36

-53.15%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$47.5K NOK 456.9K

-23.51%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$40.6K NOK 390.3K

-35.42%

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

$228 $228

$247 NOK 2,376

-7.83%

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

$53.5 $53.5

$34.88 NOK 335

53.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.0 $79.0

$79.5 NOK 764

-0.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 $74.0

$36.80 NOK 354

101.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.18 $30.18

Cinema Ticket

$14.96 $14.96

$15.57 NOK 150

-3.92%

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

$2,898 $2,898

$320 NOK 3,078

805.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.1K $36.1K

$14.0K NOK 134.5K

158.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.7 $75.7

$127 NOK 1,221

-40.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.0 $53.0

$43.44 NOK 418

21.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$125 NOK 1,198

-17.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$202 NOK 1,945

-29.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,371 $3,371

$1,101 NOK 10.6K

206.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,837 $2,837

$1,047 NOK 10.1K

170.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,252 $5,252

$1,577 NOK 15.2K

233.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,468 $3,468

$1,472 NOK 14.2K

135.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,037 $5,037

$4,200 NOK 40.4K

19.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,987 $4,987

$3,130 NOK 30.1K

59.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,278 $6,278

$4,040 NOK 38.8K

55.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.23

4.68

33.12%

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

Last update for Cambridge, MA: September 28, 2026

Last update for Arendal: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,371 in Cambridge, MA and $1,101 in Arendal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge, MA pays 55% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $99.0 in Cambridge, MA vs $65.0 in Arendal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $501 vs $493 per month, with Arendal cheaper across the board.

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

Cambridge, MA vs Arendal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cambridge, MA and Arendal differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($4,426 vs $2,665 including rent). Arendal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 55% higher in Cambridge, MA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $3,371 in Cambridge, MA versus $1,101 in Arendal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,898 in Cambridge, MA versus $320 in Arendal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Cambridge, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,665 in Arendal versus $4,426 in Cambridge, MA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Arendal but tight or insufficient in Cambridge, MA. The gap between the two cities makes Arendal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Cambridge, MA and Arendal are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Arendal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Cambridge, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.