Cost of Living Comparison Between Harstad and Oslo Cost of Living Comparison Between Harstad and Oslo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,470 in Harstad versus $3,214 in Oslo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,732 in Harstad versus $4,677 in Oslo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,993 in Harstad versus $6,139 in Oslo.

Living in Harstad costs roughly 23% less than in Oslo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Harstad 85% above, Oslo 141% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 NOK 130

$25.14 NOK 241

-45.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,156

$120 NOK 1,144

1.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.25 NOK 146

$15.42 NOK 148

-1.10%

Cappuccino

$6.21 NOK 59.4

$4.90 NOK 46.86

26.73%

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

$3.62 NOK 34.61

$4.10 NOK 39.25

-11.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 NOK 29.83

$3.35 NOK 32.02

-6.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.99 NOK 105

$12.14 NOK 116

-9.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.23 NOK 108

$10.99 NOK 105

2.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 NOK 23.41

$2.36 NOK 22.62

3.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 NOK 31.58

$4.18 NOK 39.98

-21.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 NOK 28.88

$3.62 NOK 34.69

-16.57%

Eggs

$4.14 NOK 39.66

$5.14 NOK 49.20

-19.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.47 NOK 100

$13.25 NOK 127

-20.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.42 NOK 148

$15.96 NOK 153

-3.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$37.05 NOK 355

$31.50 NOK 302

17.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 NOK 38.80

$3.57 NOK 34.13

13.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 NOK 25.51

$2.61 NOK 25.00

1.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 NOK 33.77

$3.44 NOK 32.95

2.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 NOK 44.48

$5.05 NOK 48.31

-7.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 NOK 19.70

$2.47 NOK 23.63

-16.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 NOK 18.93

$2.65 NOK 25.38

-25.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 NOK 25.57

$2.89 NOK 27.65

-7.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 NOK 16.85

$2.35 NOK 22.53

-25.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.92 NOK 143

$17.03 NOK 163

-12.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.83 NOK 152

$18.41 NOK 176

-14.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.48 NOK 33.29

$3.37 NOK 32.24

3.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 NOK 44.96

$4.39 NOK 42.02

7.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.11 NOK 58.5

$4.14 NOK 39.65

47.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.3 NOK 759

$78.5 NOK 752

1.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.53 NOK 120

$10.09 NOK 96.6

24.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 NOK 13.42

$1.43 NOK 13.70

-2.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.8 NOK 486

$41.77 NOK 400

21.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 NOK 20.50

$2.28 NOK 21.78

-6.14%

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

$33.3K NOK 319.0K

$36.7K NOK 350.9K

-9.09%

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

$30.4K NOK 291.0K

$42.9K NOK 411.0K

-29.21%

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

$162 NOK 1,552

$296 NOK 2,831

-45.19%

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

$32.24 NOK 309

$30.61 NOK 293

5.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.7 NOK 734

$56.4 NOK 540

35.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.64 NOK 466

$55.9 NOK 535

-12.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.38 NOK 339

$29.25 NOK 280

20.96%

Cinema Ticket

$16.78 NOK 161

$18.50 NOK 177

-9.30%

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

$334 NOK 3,194

$265 NOK 2,539

25.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,159 NOK 49.4K

$14.8K NOK 141.6K

-65.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 NOK 718

$102 NOK 978

-26.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.21 NOK 318

$64.7 NOK 619

-48.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 NOK 1,131

$125 NOK 1,197

-5.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 NOK 1,303

$164 NOK 1,571

-17.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 NOK 12.4K

$1,728 NOK 16.5K

-24.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 NOK 9,627

$1,465 NOK 14.0K

-31.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,189 NOK 20.9K

$2,670 NOK 25.6K

-18.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,471 NOK 14.1K

$2,182 NOK 20.9K

-32.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,805 NOK 55.6K

$11.7K NOK 111.9K

-50.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,967 NOK 38.0K

$7,104 NOK 68.0K

-44.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,370 NOK 32.3K

$4,224 NOK 40.4K

-20.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

5.08

-15.94%

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

Last update for Harstad: July 20, 2026

Last update for Oslo: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,298 in Harstad and $1,728 in Oslo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 25% 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: $121 in Harstad vs $120 in Oslo. Groceries flip the comparison at $480 vs $502, with Harstad 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

Harstad vs Oslo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Harstad is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 25% 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: $1,298 in Harstad versus $1,728 in Oslo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Oslo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Harstad – a meal for two runs $121 versus $120 in Oslo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Harstad is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Harstad is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Oslo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Harstad 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 Harstad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.