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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,029 per month in Lillehammer vs $3,188 in Oslo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,938 per month in Lillehammer vs $4,644 in Oslo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,847 per month in Lillehammer vs $6,099 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 52%, Oslo by 140%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.41 NOK 156

$25.21 NOK 239

-34.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 NOK 759

$123 NOK 1,170

-35.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.09 NOK 134

$15.39 NOK 146

-8.45%

Cappuccino

$4.65 NOK 44.13

$4.86 NOK 46.12

-4.32%

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

$2.66 NOK 25.22

$4.22 NOK 40.04

-36.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 NOK 21.02

$3.32 NOK 31.47

-33.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.13 NOK 86.6

$12.23 NOK 116

-25.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 NOK 61.6

$11.04 NOK 105

-41.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 NOK 19.28

$2.33 NOK 22.05

-12.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 NOK 18.99

$4.18 NOK 39.68

-52.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 NOK 19.37

$3.56 NOK 33.75

-42.70%

Eggs

$3.11 NOK 29.49

$4.93 NOK 46.74

-36.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.00 NOK 114

$13.33 NOK 126

-9.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 NOK 95.3

$16.54 NOK 157

-39.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.85 NOK 264

$31.01 NOK 294

-10.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 NOK 34.49

$3.57 NOK 33.83

1.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 NOK 19.38

$2.52 NOK 23.88

-19.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 NOK 25.46

$3.29 NOK 31.22

-18.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 NOK 23.74

$4.97 NOK 47.14

-49.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 NOK 14.15

$2.44 NOK 23.18

-38.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 NOK 18.69

$2.65 NOK 25.13

-25.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 NOK 12.62

$2.78 NOK 26.37

-52.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 NOK 22.81

$2.32 NOK 22.00

3.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.42 NOK 137

$17.05 NOK 162

-15.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.71 NOK 149

$18.64 NOK 177

-15.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.62 NOK 34.37

$3.45 NOK 32.70

4.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 NOK 45.45

$4.33 NOK 41.10

10.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.51 NOK 23.79

$4.13 NOK 39.19

-39.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.8 NOK 500

$79.1 NOK 750

-33.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 NOK 56.0

$10.04 NOK 95.3

-41.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 NOK 9.53

$1.44 NOK 13.64

-30.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.1 NOK 484

$42.41 NOK 402

20.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 NOK 20.32

$2.18 NOK 20.64

-1.83%

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

$31.7K NOK 300.2K

$35.9K NOK 340.6K

-11.88%

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

$34.8K NOK 330.3K

$42.5K NOK 402.6K

-17.95%

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

$317 NOK 3,003

$295 NOK 2,797

7.37%

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

$43.14 NOK 409

$30.62 NOK 290

40.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.62 NOK 338

$55.2 NOK 524

-35.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 NOK 482

$55.7 NOK 528

-8.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.73 NOK 329

$28.35 NOK 269

22.50%

Cinema Ticket

$12.33 NOK 117

$18.46 NOK 175

-33.21%

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

$301 NOK 2,854

$265 NOK 2,510

13.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,599 NOK 81.5K

$14.8K NOK 140.6K

-42.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.0 NOK 873

$103 NOK 978

-10.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.08 NOK 285

$64.9 NOK 616

-53.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 NOK 678

$121 NOK 1,147

-40.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 NOK 1,263

$164 NOK 1,558

-18.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,026 NOK 9,732

$1,676 NOK 15.9K

-38.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 NOK 5,857

$1,415 NOK 13.4K

-56.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,854 NOK 17.6K

$2,748 NOK 26.1K

-32.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$908 NOK 8,608

$2,158 NOK 20.5K

-57.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,715 NOK 54.2K

$11.6K NOK 110.4K

-50.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,602 NOK 24.7K

$7,087 NOK 67.2K

-63.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,062 NOK 19.6K

$4,263 NOK 40.4K

-51.62%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Oslo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,026 in Lillehammer versus $1,676 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 107% 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 $80.0 in Lillehammer versus $123 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 57% 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 $3,044 per month in Lillehammer and $4,782 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 $80.0 in Lillehammer and $123 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 $2,029, than in Oslo at $3,188. 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 $2,029 versus $3,188 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.