Cost of Living Comparison Between Lillestrom and Cambridge, MA Cost of Living Comparison Between Lillestrom and Cambridge, MA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,619 in Lillestrom versus $4,426 in Cambridge, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,100 in Lillestrom versus $5,677 in Cambridge, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,580 in Lillestrom versus $6,927 in Cambridge, MA.

Living in Lillestrom costs roughly 41% less than in Cambridge, MA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lillestrom 91% above, Cambridge, MA 223% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.03 NOK 198

$20.21 $20.21

4.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,135

$101 $101

19.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.36 NOK 107

$13.02 $13.02

-12.75%

Cappuccino

$6.24 NOK 58.7

$5.24 $5.24

19.08%

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

$4.11 NOK 38.70

$2.90 $2.90

41.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 NOK 30.24

$2.37 $2.37

35.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.40 NOK 117

$8.21 $8.21

51.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.44 NOK 98.3

$8.23 $8.23

26.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 NOK 22.31

$1.08 $1.08

119.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 NOK 34.70

$4.26 $4.26

-13.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.16 NOK 39.10

$5.98 $5.98

-30.43%

Eggs

$6.00 NOK 56.4

$4.97 $4.97

20.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.60 NOK 128

$15.13 $15.13

-10.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.10 NOK 133

$13.96 $13.96

1.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.70 NOK 270

$18.99 $18.99

51.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 NOK 32.77

$7.01 $7.01

-50.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 NOK 26.69

$1.33 $1.33

113.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 NOK 40.76

$5.58 $5.58

-22.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.57 NOK 52.4

$6.51 $6.51

-14.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 NOK 26.84

$2.50 $2.50

14.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.63 NOK 34.11

$3.33 $3.33

9.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.81 NOK 17.02

$1.91 $1.91

-5.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 NOK 22.69

$2.79 $2.79

-13.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.59 NOK 165

$12.67 $12.67

38.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.90 NOK 159

$15.69 $15.69

7.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.79 NOK 54.5

$1.83 $1.83

216.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 NOK 53.7

$5.44 $5.44

4.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.59 NOK 43.14

$2.41 $2.41

90.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.4 NOK 794

$90.1 $90.1

-6.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$11.77 NOK 111

$2.66 $2.66

342.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 NOK 16.39

$1.78 $1.78

-2.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.1 NOK 575

$28.10 $28.10

117.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 NOK 21.08

$1.03 $1.03

117.48%

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

$48.9K NOK 460.4K

$35.9K $35.9K

36.48%

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

$49.0K NOK 461.3K

$25.3K $25.3K

93.70%

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

$260 NOK 2,450

$179 $179

45.10%

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

$36.14 NOK 340

$43.14 $43.14

-16.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.2 NOK 501

$52.9 $52.9

0.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 NOK 480

$73.6 $73.6

-30.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.79 NOK 346

$29.78 $29.78

23.54%

Cinema Ticket

$17.56 NOK 165

$14.90 $14.90

17.85%

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

$320 NOK 3,012

$2,898 $2,898

-88.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K NOK 101.1K

$36.0K $36.0K

-70.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 NOK 967

$79.6 $79.6

29.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 NOK 507

$50.6 $50.6

6.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 NOK 1,128

$102 $102

17.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 NOK 1,506

$139 $139

15.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 NOK 12.2K

$3,424 $3,424

-62.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$987 NOK 9,282

$2,851 $2,851

-65.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,902 NOK 17.9K

$5,354 $5,354

-64.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 NOK 15.9K

$3,491 $3,491

-51.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,735 NOK 63.4K

$4,997 $4,997

34.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,632 NOK 34.2K

$4,931 $4,931

-26.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,826 NOK 36.0K

$6,179 $6,179

-38.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.98

6.05

-17.69%

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

Last update for Lillestrom: August 18, 2026

Last update for Cambridge, MA: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,292 in Lillestrom and $3,424 in Cambridge, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge, MA pays 61% 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 Lillestrom vs $101 in Cambridge, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $504 vs $474 per month, with Cambridge, MA cheaper across the board.

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

Lillestrom vs Cambridge, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lillestrom wins on cost – living expenses run 69% lower than in Cambridge, MA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lillestrom the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 61% lower in Cambridge, MA. 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: $1,292 in Lillestrom versus $3,424 in Cambridge, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Cambridge, MA pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Lillestrom – a meal for two runs $121 versus $101 in Cambridge, MA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Lillestrom is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lillestrom delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,619 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lillestrom hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lillestrom and Cambridge, MA 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 Lillestrom gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Cambridge, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.