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 $3,011 per month in Fairbanks, AK vs $3,482 in Oslo, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,383 per month in Fairbanks, AK vs $4,887 in Oslo, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,756 per month in Fairbanks, AK vs $6,292 in Oslo, rent included.

Fairbanks, AK is about 14% cheaper than Oslo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Fairbanks, AK and Oslo sit above the global median – Fairbanks, AK by 119%, Oslo by 153%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.10 $25.10

$21.52 NOK 200

16.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$127 NOK 1,184

-21.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.22 $15.22

$15.83 NOK 147

-3.85%

Cappuccino

$6.22 $6.22

$6.01 NOK 55.9

3.49%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$4.17 NOK 38.81

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.43 NOK 31.88

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.09 $7.09

$11.58 NOK 108

-38.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.14 $10.14

$12.62 NOK 117

-19.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$2.57 NOK 23.94

-54.86%

White Bread (500g)

$5.43 $5.43

$4.31 NOK 40.13

25.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$4.59 NOK 42.71

5.88%

Eggs

$4.27 $4.27

$5.96 NOK 55.5

-28.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.35 $22.35

$14.97 NOK 139

49.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 $9.00

$15.70 NOK 146

-42.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.60 $20.60

$30.01 NOK 279

-31.36%

Apples (1kg)

$7.68 $7.68

$3.48 NOK 32.41

120.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.67 NOK 24.88

-22.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 $5.92

$3.63 NOK 33.75

63.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.47 $6.47

$5.97 NOK 55.6

8.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.74 NOK 25.54

33.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$2.94 NOK 27.36

22.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.21 NOK 29.87

-10.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.46 NOK 22.85

-17.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.91 $11.91

$19.43 NOK 181

-38.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.99 $11.99

$16.63 NOK 155

-27.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$3.46 NOK 32.23

-50.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 NOK 39.95

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 $1.48

$4.95 NOK 46.10

-70.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.60 $39.60

$83.6 NOK 778

-52.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 $3.57

$12.10 NOK 113

-70.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.92 NOK 17.86

10.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.14 $44.14

$71.7 NOK 668

-38.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.27 NOK 21.15

-44.05%

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

$50.0K NOK 465.4K

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

$45.3K NOK 421.2K

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

$208 $208

$431 NOK 4,010

-51.62%

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

$61.3 $61.3

$32.70 NOK 304

87.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$142 $142

$56.7 NOK 528

151.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 $98.7

$59.6 NOK 555

65.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 NOK 269

Cinema Ticket

$18.17 $18.17

$19.06 NOK 177

-4.67%

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

$1,821 $1,821

$251 NOK 2,340

624.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K NOK 147.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 $60.8

$103 NOK 955

-40.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.70 $39.70

$62.1 NOK 578

-36.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 $119

$138 NOK 1,286

-14.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$161 NOK 1,496

-24.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 $1,569

$2,079 NOK 19.3K

-24.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 $1,397

$1,577 NOK 14.7K

-11.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,620 $2,620

$3,043 NOK 28.3K

-13.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,191 $2,191

$2,251 NOK 20.9K

-2.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,003 $2,003

$12.1K NOK 112.9K

-83.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,019 $2,019

$6,880 NOK 64.0K

-70.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,932 $3,932

$4,469 NOK 41.6K

-12.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.27

4.96

26.41%

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

Last update for Fairbanks, AK: August 30, 2026

Last update for Oslo: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,569 in Fairbanks, AK versus $2,079 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 14% 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 $100 in Fairbanks, AK versus $127 in Oslo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $470 vs $518 – making Fairbanks, AK 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

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

Yes – Oslo is pricier by about 16%, 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 $4,516 per month in Fairbanks, AK and $5,223 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.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Oslo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Fairbanks, AK and $127 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 $3,011 in Fairbanks, AK and $3,482 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.