Cost of Living Comparison Between Colorado Springs, CO and Kristiansand Cost of Living Comparison Between Colorado Springs, CO and Kristiansand

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,108 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $2,352 in Kristiansand.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,275 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $3,543 in Kristiansand.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,442 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $4,734 in Kristiansand.

Living in Colorado Springs, CO is roughly 32% more expensive than in Kristiansand, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Colorado Springs, CO 133% above, Kristiansand 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.73 $19.73

$25.04 NOK 241

-21.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.9 $83.9

$100 NOK 965

-16.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 $9.85

$13.28 NOK 128

-25.83%

Cappuccino

$6.22 $6.22

$5.05 NOK 48.60

23.17%

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

$3.26 $3.26

$2.55 NOK 24.53

27.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.12 NOK 20.39

9.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.24 $6.24

$9.13 NOK 88.0

-31.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 $6.99

$9.78 NOK 94.2

-28.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$2.21 NOK 21.28

-54.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$3.33 NOK 32.08

10.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$3.21 NOK 30.95

38.01%

Eggs

$5.54 $5.54

$4.18 NOK 40.23

32.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.65 $15.65

$11.26 NOK 108

38.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.24 $15.24

$13.96 NOK 135

9.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.33 $18.33

$30.90 NOK 298

-40.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$3.47 NOK 33.43

26.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$2.35 NOK 22.68

-32.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$3.28 NOK 31.55

13.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$4.21 NOK 40.60

14.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.29 NOK 22.10

18.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.22 NOK 21.38

22.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.75 NOK 26.49

-17.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.84 NOK 17.73

23.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.16 $10.16

$13.91 NOK 134

-26.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.35 $19.35

$15.53 NOK 150

24.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$3.25 NOK 31.34

-32.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 $3.82

$3.91 NOK 37.66

-2.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 $2.34

$3.52 NOK 33.93

-33.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.0 $62.0

$65.3 NOK 629

-5.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 $2.47

$10.31 NOK 99.3

-76.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.45 NOK 13.94

-1.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.96 $24.96

$42.68 NOK 411

-41.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$2.18 NOK 21.00

-60.55%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$35.6K NOK 343.3K

-23.35%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$42.7K NOK 411.3K

-38.87%

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

$194 $194

$216 NOK 2,079

-10.28%

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

$71.9 $71.9

$31.13 NOK 300

131.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 $101

$37.26 NOK 359

170.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 $61.6

$41.99 NOK 404

46.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.72 $29.72

$35.93 NOK 346

-17.28%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 $15.05

$14.86 NOK 143

1.28%

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

$1,477 $1,477

$273 NOK 2,631

440.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$14.5K NOK 139.8K

66.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 $58.8

$104 NOK 1,005

-43.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.24 $37.24

$47.04 NOK 453

-20.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 $91.4

$101 NOK 977

-9.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$153 NOK 1,471

-32.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,702 $1,702

$1,024 NOK 9,860

66.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 $1,628

$878 NOK 8,459

85.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,591 $2,591

$1,738 NOK 16.7K

49.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,272 $2,272

$1,417 NOK 13.6K

60.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,514 $2,514

$4,761 NOK 45.9K

-47.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,444 $2,444

$3,327 NOK 32.0K

-26.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,292 $4,292

$4,092 NOK 39.4K

4.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

4.38

50.68%

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

Last update for Colorado Springs, CO: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kristiansand: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,702 in Colorado Springs, CO and $1,024 in Kristiansand. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Colorado Springs, CO pays 5% 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: $84.0 in Colorado Springs, CO vs $100 in Kristiansand for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $443 vs $446 per month, with Colorado Springs, CO 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

Colorado Springs, CO vs Kristiansand: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kristiansand is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Colorado Springs, CO, 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: $1,702 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $1,024 in Kristiansand. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Colorado Springs, CO pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Kristiansand – a meal for two runs $100 versus $84.0 in Colorado Springs, CO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,352 in Kristiansand versus $3,108 in Colorado Springs, CO, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Kristiansand but tight or insufficient in Colorado Springs, CO. The gap between the two cities makes Kristiansand 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, Colorado Springs, CO and Kristiansand 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 Kristiansand gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Colorado Springs, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.