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 $3,108 per month in Fairbanks, AK vs $3,141 in Oslo, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,296 per month in Fairbanks, AK vs $4,597 in Oslo, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,485 per month in Fairbanks, AK vs $6,053 in Oslo, rent included.

Fairbanks, AK is about 1% cheaper than Oslo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Fairbanks, AK and Oslo sit above the global median – Fairbanks, AK by 132%, Oslo by 134%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.17 $25.17

$25.53 NOK 238

-1.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.0 $89.0

$123 NOK 1,144

-27.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.98 $13.98

$15.15 NOK 141

-7.72%

Cappuccino

$5.88 $5.88

$4.86 NOK 45.41

20.99%

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

$2.87 $2.87

$4.08 NOK 38.14

-29.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$3.19 NOK 29.79

-36.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.91 $7.91

$12.02 NOK 112

-34.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.07 $10.07

$11.22 NOK 105

-10.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$2.39 NOK 22.35

-52.30%

White Bread (500g)

$5.18 $5.18

$4.09 NOK 38.17

26.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$3.66 NOK 34.19

40.98%

Eggs

$4.39 $4.39

$5.03 NOK 47.00

-12.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.64 $17.64

$13.46 NOK 126

31.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.64 $16.64

$16.04 NOK 150

3.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.74 $20.74

$30.76 NOK 287

-32.57%

Apples (1kg)

$7.82 $7.82

$3.49 NOK 32.63

124.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.63 NOK 24.53

6.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$3.35 NOK 31.32

101.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.47 $7.47

$5.16 NOK 48.20

44.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.43 NOK 22.69

61.32%

Onion (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$2.71 NOK 25.33

75.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.85 NOK 26.61

2.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.34 NOK 21.84

-13.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.23 $11.23

$17.19 NOK 160

-34.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.04 $12.04

$18.93 NOK 177

-36.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$3.35 NOK 31.28

-48.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$4.38 NOK 40.87

-77.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 $1.46

$4.31 NOK 40.20

-66.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.16 $40.16

$77.9 NOK 727

-48.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 $3.59

$10.04 NOK 93.8

-64.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.38 NOK 12.93

61.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.52 $44.52

$42.24 NOK 394

5.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$2.18 NOK 20.34

-51.83%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$36.5K NOK 340.5K

-17.73%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$42.7K NOK 398.5K

-39.01%

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

$169 $169

$304 NOK 2,834

-44.42%

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

$60.5 $60.5

$31.63 NOK 295

91.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$116 $116

$57.0 NOK 532

103.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.5 $98.5

$57.8 NOK 539

70.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.64 NOK 267

Cinema Ticket

$17.27 $17.27

$18.01 NOK 168

-4.11%

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

$1,202 $1,202

$274 NOK 2,556

339.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$14.5K NOK 135.8K

60.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 $59.8

$106 NOK 987

-43.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.83 $39.83

$65.4 NOK 611

-39.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.2 $85.2

$124 NOK 1,158

-31.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$168 NOK 1,572

-28.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,655 $1,655

$1,671 NOK 15.6K

-1.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,529 $1,529

$1,446 NOK 13.5K

5.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,223 $2,223

$2,749 NOK 25.7K

-19.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,014 $2,014

$2,165 NOK 20.2K

-6.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,045 $2,045

$12.0K NOK 112.2K

-82.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,013 $2,013

$7,295 NOK 68.1K

-72.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,884 $3,884

$4,411 NOK 41.2K

-11.94%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Oslo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,655 in Fairbanks, AK versus $1,671 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 $89.0 in Fairbanks, AK versus $122 in Oslo. Groceries tell a different story – $512 in Fairbanks, AK vs $500 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 1%, 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 $4,662 per month in Fairbanks, AK and $4,711 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 $89.0 in Fairbanks, AK and $122 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 $3,108 in Fairbanks, AK and $3,141 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.