Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairbanks, AK and Oslo Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairbanks, AK and Oslo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,090 per month in Fairbanks, AK vs $3,203 in Oslo, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,350 per month in Fairbanks, AK vs $4,686 in Oslo, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,609 per month in Fairbanks, AK vs $6,170 in Oslo, rent included.

Fairbanks, AK is about 4% cheaper than Oslo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Fairbanks, AK and Oslo sit above the global median – Fairbanks, AK by 131%, Oslo by 140%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.75 $24.75

$25.37 NOK 245

-2.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.6 $86.6

$120 NOK 1,164

-28.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 $13.77

$14.96 NOK 145

-7.95%

Cappuccino

$6.02 $6.02

$5.08 NOK 49.07

18.50%

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

$2.76 $2.76

$4.10 NOK 39.66

-32.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.19 NOK 30.85

-35.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.91 $7.91

$12.37 NOK 120

-36.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.16 $10.16

$11.03 NOK 107

-7.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$2.40 NOK 23.24

-52.92%

White Bread (500g)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.03 NOK 39.00

28.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.67 NOK 35.50

44.41%

Eggs

$4.20 $4.20

$4.95 NOK 47.82

-15.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.80 $17.80

$13.66 NOK 132

30.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.06 $17.06

$16.41 NOK 159

3.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.20 $21.20

$31.39 NOK 303

-32.46%

Apples (1kg)

$8.00 $8.00

$3.60 NOK 34.85

122.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.63 NOK 25.44

10.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.66 $6.66

$3.45 NOK 33.39

93.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.24 $7.24

$5.07 NOK 48.98

42.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$2.51 NOK 24.22

50.20%

Onion (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$2.71 NOK 26.22

77.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.78 NOK 26.83

4.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.41 NOK 23.25

-14.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.21 $11.21

$17.46 NOK 169

-35.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.90 $11.90

$18.64 NOK 180

-36.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$3.41 NOK 33.00

-49.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$4.35 NOK 42.06

-76.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$4.18 NOK 40.44

-63.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.44 $39.44

$79.6 NOK 769

-50.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 $3.40

$10.20 NOK 98.6

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.41 NOK 13.60

56.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.02 $45.02

$41.75 NOK 404

7.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$2.27 NOK 21.96

-54.63%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$36.7K NOK 354.3K

-19.26%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$42.3K NOK 409.3K

-38.84%

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

$167 $167

$296 NOK 2,863

-43.68%

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

$61.2 $61.2

$31.29 NOK 302

95.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$116 $116

$55.5 NOK 536

108.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.3 $98.3

$57.4 NOK 554

71.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.40 NOK 275

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 $17.12

$18.01 NOK 174

-4.94%

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

$1,183 $1,183

$274 NOK 2,653

331.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$14.7K NOK 141.9K

60.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 $59.4

$103 NOK 999

-42.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.70 $39.70

$64.5 NOK 623

-38.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 $83.6

$121 NOK 1,169

-30.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$168 NOK 1,620

-27.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,679 $1,679

$1,700 NOK 16.4K

-1.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,477 $1,477

$1,441 NOK 13.9K

2.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,305 $2,305

$2,677 NOK 25.9K

-13.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,036 $2,036

$2,180 NOK 21.1K

-6.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,007 $2,007

$11.5K NOK 111.3K

-82.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,011 $2,011

$6,961 NOK 67.3K

-71.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,909 $3,909

$4,256 NOK 41.1K

-8.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

5.08

28.54%

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

Last update for Fairbanks, AK: July 12, 2026

Last update for Oslo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,679 in Fairbanks, AK versus $1,700 in Oslo. 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 9% higher in Oslo, 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 $87.0 in Fairbanks, AK versus $120 in Oslo. Groceries tell a different story – $515 in Fairbanks, AK vs $505 in Oslo – so Oslo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Fairbanks, AK vs Oslo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Oslo is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,634 per month in Fairbanks, AK and $4,804 in Oslo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fairbanks, AK, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Oslo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Fairbanks, AK and $120 in Oslo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,090 in Fairbanks, AK and $3,203 in Oslo. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Fairbanks, AK – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Fairbanks, AK. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Oslo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.