Cost of Living Comparison Between Lillehammer and Oslo Cost of Living Comparison Between Lillehammer and Oslo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,984 per month in Lillehammer vs $3,103 in Oslo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,913 per month in Lillehammer vs $4,561 in Oslo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,843 per month in Lillehammer vs $6,018 in Oslo, rent included.

Lillehammer is about 36% cheaper than Oslo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lillehammer and Oslo sit above the global median – Lillehammer by 49%, Oslo by 133%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.35 NOK 155

$24.82 NOK 235

-34.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 NOK 776

$122 NOK 1,157

-32.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.02 NOK 133

$15.08 NOK 143

-7.03%

Cappuccino

$4.70 NOK 44.47

$4.82 NOK 45.63

-2.49%

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

$2.71 NOK 25.70

$4.23 NOK 40.04

-35.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 NOK 20.85

$3.35 NOK 31.77

-34.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.34 NOK 88.5

$12.18 NOK 115

-23.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 NOK 63.0

$11.33 NOK 107

-41.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 NOK 19.42

$2.29 NOK 21.68

-10.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 NOK 19.54

$4.00 NOK 37.89

-48.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 NOK 18.86

$3.53 NOK 33.43

-43.63%

Eggs

$3.09 NOK 29.30

$4.96 NOK 46.96

-37.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.02 NOK 114

$13.32 NOK 126

-9.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 NOK 94.4

$16.29 NOK 154

-38.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.38 NOK 269

$31.77 NOK 301

-10.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 NOK 32.72

$3.56 NOK 33.72

-3.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 NOK 19.36

$2.59 NOK 24.58

-21.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 NOK 24.35

$3.41 NOK 32.34

-24.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.48 NOK 23.53

$4.97 NOK 47.09

-50.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 NOK 14.75

$2.56 NOK 24.24

-39.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 NOK 19.40

$2.57 NOK 24.35

-20.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 NOK 12.75

$2.74 NOK 25.99

-50.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 NOK 22.61

$2.41 NOK 22.78

-0.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.22 NOK 135

$17.06 NOK 162

-16.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.63 NOK 148

$18.85 NOK 179

-17.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.44 NOK 32.54

$3.34 NOK 31.63

2.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 NOK 45.96

$4.18 NOK 39.60

16.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.50 NOK 23.66

$4.34 NOK 41.12

-42.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.6 NOK 508

$79.0 NOK 748

-32.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 NOK 54.7

$10.02 NOK 94.9

-42.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 NOK 9.39

$1.45 NOK 13.73

-31.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.0 NOK 483

$43.09 NOK 408

18.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 NOK 20.05

$2.27 NOK 21.53

-6.61%

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

$31.2K NOK 295.9K

$36.7K NOK 347.2K

-14.78%

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

$35.0K NOK 331.6K

$41.9K NOK 396.7K

-16.42%

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

$324 NOK 3,065

$295 NOK 2,796

9.64%

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

$42.78 NOK 405

$31.21 NOK 296

37.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.92 NOK 340

$57.1 NOK 541

-37.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.0 NOK 474

$57.8 NOK 548

-13.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.96 NOK 341

$28.69 NOK 272

25.34%

Cinema Ticket

$12.00 NOK 114

$18.58 NOK 176

-35.41%

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

$307 NOK 2,906

$268 NOK 2,541

14.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,519 NOK 80.7K

$14.7K NOK 138.9K

-41.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.1 NOK 854

$104 NOK 986

-13.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.84 NOK 283

$66.6 NOK 630

-55.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 NOK 684

$124 NOK 1,170

-41.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 NOK 1,235

$166 NOK 1,572

-21.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,015 NOK 9,615

$1,677 NOK 15.9K

-39.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 NOK 5,845

$1,453 NOK 13.8K

-57.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,789 NOK 16.9K

$2,683 NOK 25.4K

-33.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$914 NOK 8,657

$2,111 NOK 20.0K

-56.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,703 NOK 54.0K

$11.5K NOK 108.8K

-50.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,641 NOK 25.0K

$7,031 NOK 66.6K

-62.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,083 NOK 19.7K

$4,263 NOK 40.4K

-51.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

5.08

-14.96%

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

Last update for Lillehammer: June 15, 2026

Last update for Oslo: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,015 in Lillehammer versus $1,677 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 105% 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 $82.0 in Lillehammer versus $122 in Oslo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $386 vs $501 – making Lillehammer the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Lillehammer vs Oslo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oslo costs about 56% more than Lillehammer, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,976 per month in Lillehammer and $4,655 in Oslo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lillehammer, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Oslo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in Lillehammer and $122 in Oslo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lillehammer, where all-in costs run around $1,984, than in Oslo at $3,103. In Lillehammer it covers expenses comfortably, while in Oslo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lillehammer costs $1,984 versus $3,103 in Oslo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Lillehammer. 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.