Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and NorwayCost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Norway
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,718 in Italy versus $2,428 in Norway.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,621 in Italy versus $3,683 in Norway.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,524 in Italy versus $4,938 in Norway.
🌍Living in Italy costs about 29% less than in Norway on average.
📊Both countries sit above the global median: Italy 29% above, Norway 82% above.
📏Italy ($1,176–$2,467) and Norway ($1,992–$3,203) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Norway
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.58€15.36
$24.51NOK 236
-28.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.5€72.0
$103NOK 987
-19.56%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.72€10.24
$15.07NOK 145
-22.23%
Cappuccino
$1.92€1.68
$5.20NOK 50.1
-63.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99€2.61
$3.52NOK 33.87
-15.06%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36€1.19
$2.91NOK 28.02
-53.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.76€5.03
$11.05NOK 106
-47.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.22€4.56
$9.97NOK 96.0
-47.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Norway
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.69€1.48
$2.37NOK 22.78
-28.69%
White Bread(500g)
$2.33€2.04
$3.47NOK 33.42
-32.85%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.05€2.67
$3.36NOK 32.35
-9.23%
Eggs
$3.99€3.49
$4.48NOK 43.16
-10.94%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.68€14.57
$12.32NOK 119
35.39%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.57€10.98
$15.30NOK 147
-17.84%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.53€17.94
$30.10NOK 290
-31.79%
Apples(1kg)
$2.56€2.23
$3.51NOK 33.82
-27.07%
Banana(1kg)
$2.20€1.93
$2.57NOK 24.72
-14.40%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.68€2.34
$3.34NOK 32.19
-19.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.37€2.95
$4.72NOK 45.42
-28.60%
Potato(1kg)
$2.04€1.78
$2.49NOK 23.99
-18.07%
Onion(1kg)
$1.88€1.64
$2.67NOK 25.73
-29.59%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.47€1.29
$2.72NOK 26.23
-45.96%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54€0.47
$2.25NOK 21.68
-76.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.00€6.11
$16.25NOK 157
-56.92%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.09€6.19
$17.51NOK 169
-59.51%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80€1.57
$3.40NOK 32.75
-47.06%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51€2.19
$4.30NOK 41.44
-41.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Norway
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.96€1.71
$4.33NOK 41.69
-54.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.58€36.33
$79.7NOK 767
-47.80%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.80€5.07
$11.99NOK 115
-51.63%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.60€1.39
$1.54NOK 14.82
3.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$35.07€30.64
$54.8NOK 527
-35.96%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.13€1.86
$2.13NOK 20.47
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.6K€28.5K
$36.8KNOK 354.8K
-11.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K€29.5K
$40.0KNOK 385.5K
-15.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Norway
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$225€197
$251NOK 2,418
-10.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.14€11.48
$40.24NOK 388
-67.35%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.19€27.25
$61.9NOK 596
-49.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Norway
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$57.2€49.94
$50.3NOK 484
13.73%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.85€22.58
$34.15NOK 329
-24.30%
Cinema Ticket
$10.34€9.03
$16.05NOK 155
-35.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Norway
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$564€493
$302NOK 2,910
86.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.3K€9,035
$8,441NOK 81.3K
22.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Norway
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.9€80.3
$102NOK 982
-9.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.54€35.42
$51.3NOK 494
-21.02%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.2€85.8
$116NOK 1,119
-15.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132€115
$155NOK 1,495
-14.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Norway
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$855€747
$1,300NOK 12.5K
-34.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$663€580
$988NOK 9,517
-32.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,522€1,330
$1,997NOK 19.2K
-23.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,089€951
$1,607NOK 15.5K
-32.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,747€3,274
$6,635NOK 63.9K
-43.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,299€2,009
$4,956NOK 47.7K
-53.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Norway
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,897€1,657
$4,020NOK 38.7K
-52.82%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.41
4.54
-2.86%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Italy: July 11, 2026
Last update for Norway: July 11, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $742 in Italy, $1,195 in Norway. Capital cities: $1,328 in Rome vs $1,700 in Oslo.
💰National salary averages: $1,912 in Italy, $3,808 in Norway. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 61% higher in Norway.
⭐Dining out costs 32% more in Norway.
⭐Public transport is 66% more expensive in Norway.
⭐Salaries are 99% higher in Norway, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Norway.
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
Italy vs Norway: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Norway?
At $1,822 per month in Italy and $2,598 in Norway, there's a 43% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Italy: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Norway is consistently higher than in Italy across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Italy or in Norway?
In Italy, $2,500 covers most cities easily; in Norway it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Italy or to Norway?
It depends on what you're after: Italy wins on affordability; Norway may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.