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: $2,626 in Harstad versus $3,393 in Oslo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,908 in Harstad versus $4,964 in Oslo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,189 in Harstad versus $6,535 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 92% above, Oslo 148% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.17 NOK 134

$21.87 NOK 206

-35.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 NOK 1,027

$127 NOK 1,200

-14.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.17 NOK 152

$16.35 NOK 154

-1.10%

Cappuccino

$6.56 NOK 61.9

$6.18 NOK 58.2

6.15%

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

$3.84 NOK 36.18

$4.10 NOK 38.67

-6.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 NOK 29.98

$3.45 NOK 32.51

-7.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.72 NOK 120

$11.64 NOK 110

9.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.91 NOK 131

$12.70 NOK 120

9.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 NOK 24.32

$2.65 NOK 24.98

-2.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 NOK 32.77

$4.12 NOK 38.85

-15.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 NOK 31.06

$4.76 NOK 44.87

-30.67%

Eggs

$4.58 NOK 43.18

$6.14 NOK 57.9

-25.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 NOK 105

$14.66 NOK 138

-23.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.09 NOK 142

$15.39 NOK 145

-1.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.47 NOK 400

$29.69 NOK 280

43.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 NOK 39.94

$3.44 NOK 32.45

23.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 NOK 27.73

$2.68 NOK 25.25

9.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 NOK 35.95

$3.54 NOK 33.37

7.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 NOK 45.12

$6.06 NOK 57.1

-20.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 NOK 20.37

$2.72 NOK 25.66

-20.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 NOK 20.48

$2.88 NOK 27.18

-24.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 NOK 28.50

$3.23 NOK 30.43

-6.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 NOK 22.71

$2.55 NOK 23.99

-5.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.82 NOK 158

$19.59 NOK 185

-14.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.81 NOK 149

$16.63 NOK 157

-4.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.04 NOK 38.03

$3.48 NOK 32.75

16.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 NOK 46.97

$4.39 NOK 41.35

13.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.22 NOK 58.6

$5.01 NOK 47.22

24.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.4 NOK 796

$84.9 NOK 800

-0.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$16.02 NOK 151

$12.33 NOK 116

29.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NOK 17.32

$1.87 NOK 17.59

-1.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.9 NOK 536

$70.1 NOK 661

-18.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 21.20

$2.27 NOK 21.39

-0.88%

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

$37.6K NOK 354.3K

$50.2K NOK 473.1K

-25.12%

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

$32.0K NOK 301.4K

$45.5K NOK 428.8K

-29.71%

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

$168 NOK 1,582

$425 NOK 4,008

-60.53%

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

$34.80 NOK 328

$33.72 NOK 318

3.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.9 NOK 771

$57.5 NOK 542

42.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 NOK 482

$61.6 NOK 580

-16.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.78 NOK 356

$29.20 NOK 275

29.38%

Cinema Ticket

$17.55 NOK 165

$19.46 NOK 183

-9.82%

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

$246 NOK 2,319

$244 NOK 2,302

0.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,377 NOK 50.7K

$15.7K NOK 148.0K

-65.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.7 NOK 647

$104 NOK 976

-33.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.02 NOK 339

$61.1 NOK 576

-41.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 NOK 1,170

$135 NOK 1,273

-8.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 NOK 1,580

$158 NOK 1,492

5.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,387 NOK 13.1K

$2,026 NOK 19.1K

-31.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,092 NOK 10.3K

$1,568 NOK 14.8K

-30.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,321 NOK 21.9K

$3,062 NOK 28.9K

-24.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 NOK 14.4K

$2,302 NOK 21.7K

-33.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,192 NOK 58.3K

$12.0K NOK 112.8K

-48.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,126 NOK 38.9K

$6,933 NOK 65.3K

-40.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,607 NOK 34.0K

$4,691 NOK 44.2K

-23.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.98

0.40%

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

Last update for Harstad: September 13, 2026

Last update for Oslo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,387 in Harstad and $2,026 in Oslo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 30% 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: $109 in Harstad vs $127 in Oslo. Groceries flip the comparison at $520 vs $516, with Oslo 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 Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 30% 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: $1,387 in Harstad versus $2,026 in Oslo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Oslo pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Harstad – a meal for two runs $109 versus $127 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 29% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.