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: $3,044 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $2,313 in Kristiansand.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,227 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $3,591 in Kristiansand.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,410 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $4,870 in Kristiansand.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Colorado Springs, CO 127% above, Kristiansand 73% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.21 $20.21

$25.56 NOK 237

-20.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 $86.5

$100 NOK 931

-13.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 $9.96

$13.48 NOK 125

-26.11%

Cappuccino

$6.12 $6.12

$5.05 NOK 46.88

21.19%

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

$3.30 $3.30

$2.51 NOK 23.34

31.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$2.15 NOK 19.94

8.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.09 $6.09

$9.32 NOK 86.6

-34.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 $6.98

$9.91 NOK 92.0

-29.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$2.13 NOK 19.83

-53.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.41 NOK 31.68

6.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.20 NOK 29.73

36.87%

Eggs

$5.66 $5.66

$4.24 NOK 39.37

33.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.17 $15.17

$11.44 NOK 106

32.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.72 $14.72

$13.94 NOK 130

5.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.57 $18.57

$30.99 NOK 288

-40.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$3.57 NOK 33.19

27.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.36 NOK 21.88

-35.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$3.39 NOK 31.50

13.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$4.06 NOK 37.71

19.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.26 NOK 20.98

16.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.15 NOK 19.96

21.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.85 NOK 26.49

-20.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.91 NOK 17.72

20.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.86 $9.86

$14.22 NOK 132

-30.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.71 $18.71

$16.27 NOK 151

15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$3.31 NOK 30.79

-31.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 $3.84

$3.89 NOK 36.18

-1.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 $2.36

$3.49 NOK 32.39

-32.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.8 $61.8

$67.5 NOK 627

-8.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$10.28 NOK 95.5

-75.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.44 NOK 13.40

-4.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.05 $25.05

$41.61 NOK 387

-39.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$2.19 NOK 20.38

-63.93%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$36.7K NOK 340.6K

-25.62%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$42.7K NOK 397.1K

-40.72%

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

$192 $192

$222 NOK 2,066

-13.53%

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

$73.7 $73.7

$30.92 NOK 287

138.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$100 $100

$38.43 NOK 357

160.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 $60.2

$41.25 NOK 383

45.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.27 $30.27

$35.77 NOK 332

-15.38%

Cinema Ticket

$14.76 $14.76

$14.85 NOK 138

-0.61%

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

$1,479 $1,479

$267 NOK 2,479

454.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K $24.6K

$15.0K NOK 139.0K

64.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 $57.8

$104 NOK 971

-44.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.99 $36.99

$47.84 NOK 444

-22.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 $91.4

$99.2 NOK 921

-7.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.2 $99.2

$153 NOK 1,425

-35.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,741 $1,741

$1,005 NOK 9,336

73.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,593 $1,593

$890 NOK 8,270

78.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,548 $2,548

$1,792 NOK 16.6K

42.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 $2,310

$1,384 NOK 12.9K

66.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,604 $2,604

$4,911 NOK 45.6K

-46.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,464 $2,464

$3,546 NOK 32.9K

-30.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,246 $4,246

$4,267 NOK 39.6K

-0.49%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kristiansand: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,741 in Colorado Springs, CO and $1,005 in Kristiansand. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kristiansand pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $87.0 in Colorado Springs, CO vs $100 in Kristiansand for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $439 vs $450 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.

On paper, Kristiansand earns 0% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,741 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $1,005 in Kristiansand. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Colorado Springs, CO pay roughly 3% 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 $87.0 in Colorado Springs, CO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,313 in Kristiansand versus $3,044 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.