Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamar and Oslo Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamar and Oslo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,432 in Hamar versus $3,387 in Oslo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,812 in Hamar versus $4,974 in Oslo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,191 in Hamar versus $6,560 in Oslo.

Living in Hamar costs roughly 28% less than in Oslo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamar 76% above, Oslo 146% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.31 NOK 198

$21.27 NOK 197

0.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$132 NOK 1,222

$128 NOK 1,185

3.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.33 NOK 152

$16.44 NOK 153

-0.67%

Cappuccino

$6.11 NOK 56.6

$5.90 NOK 54.7

3.56%

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

$4.19 NOK 38.87

$4.24 NOK 39.33

-1.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 NOK 32.35

$3.57 NOK 33.09

-2.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.95 NOK 111

$12.07 NOK 112

-0.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.59 NOK 79.7

$12.80 NOK 119

-32.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 NOK 23.97

$2.58 NOK 23.90

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 NOK 28.15

$4.34 NOK 40.29

-30.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 NOK 19.57

$4.62 NOK 42.88

-54.33%

Eggs

$6.15 NOK 57.1

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.28 NOK 105

$14.72 NOK 137

-23.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.96 NOK 120

$15.54 NOK 144

-16.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$29.84 NOK 277

$30.93 NOK 287

-3.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 NOK 30.86

$3.35 NOK 31.04

-0.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 NOK 24.70

$2.79 NOK 25.89

-4.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 NOK 28.91

$3.47 NOK 32.23

-10.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.93 NOK 55.0

$5.99 NOK 55.5

-1.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 NOK 23.65

$2.69 NOK 24.95

-5.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 NOK 24.22

$2.88 NOK 26.76

-9.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 NOK 20.51

$3.26 NOK 30.22

-32.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 NOK 19.37

$2.56 NOK 23.76

-18.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.10 NOK 177

$19.43 NOK 180

-1.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.83 NOK 156

$17.04 NOK 158

-1.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.51 NOK 32.52

$3.60 NOK 33.38

-2.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 NOK 39.94

$4.32 NOK 40.08

-0.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.71 NOK 43.66

$4.98 NOK 46.20

-5.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.0 NOK 649

$86.3 NOK 800

-18.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.43 NOK 115

$12.52 NOK 116

-0.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NOK 17.81

$1.92 NOK 17.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.0 NOK 668

$70.6 NOK 655

1.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 NOK 21.29

$2.26 NOK 20.96

1.33%

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

$50.3K NOK 466.4K

$48.7K NOK 451.7K

3.25%

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

$45.4K NOK 420.9K

$45.3K NOK 420.1K

0.18%

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

$229 NOK 2,128

$424 NOK 3,932

-45.89%

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

$33.05 NOK 307

$32.72 NOK 304

1.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 NOK 540

$57.1 NOK 530

1.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 NOK 545

$60.3 NOK 559

-2.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.84 NOK 277

$29.67 NOK 275

0.57%

Cinema Ticket

$19.63 NOK 182

$19.71 NOK 183

-0.41%

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

$212 NOK 1,969

$252 NOK 2,336

-15.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K NOK 150.5K

$16.2K NOK 150.6K

-0.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 NOK 942

$104 NOK 963

-2.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.7 NOK 573

$62.7 NOK 582

-1.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 NOK 1,240

$134 NOK 1,247

-0.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 NOK 998

$162 NOK 1,502

-33.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,250 NOK 11.6K

$2,043 NOK 19.0K

-38.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 NOK 8,209

$1,543 NOK 14.3K

-42.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 NOK 15.2K

$3,027 NOK 28.1K

-45.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,519 NOK 14.1K

$2,304 NOK 21.4K

-34.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,488 NOK 41.6K

$12.2K NOK 113.6K

-63.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,585 NOK 33.3K

$7,156 NOK 66.4K

-49.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,278 NOK 39.7K

$4,594 NOK 42.6K

-6.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.96

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

Last update for Hamar: September 7, 2026

Last update for Oslo: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,250 in Hamar and $2,043 in Oslo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 7% 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: $132 in Hamar vs $128 in Oslo. Groceries flip the comparison at $459 vs $523, with Hamar cheaper for home cooking.

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

Hamar vs Oslo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamar and Oslo differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($2,432 vs $3,387 including rent). Hamar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Oslo. 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: $1,250 in Hamar versus $2,043 in Oslo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Oslo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Hamar – a meal for two runs $132 versus $128 in Oslo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Hamar is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Hamar and Oslo 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 Hamar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.