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: $2,547 in Lillestrom versus $4,369 in Cambridge, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,020 in Lillestrom versus $5,627 in Cambridge, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,492 in Lillestrom versus $6,884 in Cambridge, MA.

Living in Lillestrom costs roughly 42% less than in Cambridge, MA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lillestrom 90% above, Cambridge, MA 226% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.59 NOK 192

$16.87 $16.87

22.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 NOK 949

$100 $100

1.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 NOK 102

$11.93 $11.93

-8.21%

Cappuccino

$5.07 NOK 47.26

$5.34 $5.34

-5.06%

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

$2.55 NOK 23.77

$2.96 $2.96

-13.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 NOK 19.73

$2.41 $2.41

-12.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.91 NOK 83.0

$8.13 $8.13

9.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.11 NOK 94.2

$7.82 $7.82

29.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 NOK 19.63

$1.08 $1.08

95.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.32 NOK 30.92

$3.91 $3.91

-15.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 NOK 30.77

$6.33 $6.33

-47.87%

Eggs

$4.22 NOK 39.32

$4.72 $4.72

-10.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.35 NOK 106

$15.40 $15.40

-26.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.81 NOK 129

$13.66 $13.66

1.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.70 NOK 230

$20.88 $20.88

18.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 NOK 29.00

$6.73 $6.73

-53.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 NOK 21.93

$1.89 $1.89

24.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 NOK 31.30

$6.49 $6.49

-48.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 NOK 39.00

$6.41 $6.41

-34.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 NOK 20.46

$3.36 $3.36

-34.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 NOK 20.66

$3.61 $3.61

-38.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 NOK 18.39

$2.48 $2.48

-20.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 NOK 17.57

$2.61 $2.61

-27.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.45 NOK 135

$13.77 $13.77

4.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.20 NOK 160

$17.05 $17.05

0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 NOK 29.92

$1.68 $1.68

91.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 NOK 37.47

$5.45 $5.45

-26.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.35 NOK 40.58

$2.47 $2.47

76.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.2 NOK 682

$91.0 $91.0

-19.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 NOK 47.93

$2.55 $2.55

101.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 NOK 13.05

$1.72 $1.72

-18.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.9 NOK 577

$27.84 $27.84

122.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 NOK 20.22

$0.85 $0.85

155.29%

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

$35.4K NOK 329.9K

$29.0K $29.0K

22.05%

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

$29.8K NOK 277.5K

$25.1K $25.1K

18.86%

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

$61.6 NOK 574

$161 $161

-61.73%

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

$43.51 NOK 405

$53.5 $53.5

-18.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.76 NOK 352

$55.3 $55.3

-31.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.8 NOK 659

$99.4 $99.4

-28.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.06 NOK 168

$30.40 $30.40

-40.59%

Cinema Ticket

$14.69 NOK 137

$15.22 $15.22

-3.48%

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

$240 NOK 2,234

$2,845 $2,845

-91.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,135 NOK 38.5K

$27.0K $27.0K

-84.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.3 NOK 888

$65.9 $65.9

44.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.68 NOK 435

$45.10 $45.10

3.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 NOK 934

$99.7 $99.7

0.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$176 NOK 1,638

$144 $144

21.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 NOK 11.1K

$2,792 $2,792

-57.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 NOK 11.5K

$2,900 $2,900

-57.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,544 NOK 23.7K

$5,183 $5,183

-50.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 NOK 20.3K

$3,480 $3,480

-37.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,986 NOK 55.8K

$5,054 $5,054

18.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,645 NOK 43.3K

$4,906 $4,906

-5.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,898 NOK 36.3K

$6,310 $6,310

-38.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

6.43

-31.88%

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

Last update for Lillestrom: April 26, 2026

Last update for Cambridge, MA: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,196 in Lillestrom and $2,792 in Cambridge, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge, MA pays 62% 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: $102 in Lillestrom vs $100 in Cambridge, MA. Groceries flip the comparison at $426 vs $486, with Lillestrom 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

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

Lillestrom wins on cost – living expenses run 72% 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, Cambridge, MA earns 62% less. 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: $1,196 in Lillestrom versus $2,792 in Cambridge, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Cambridge, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Lillestrom – a meal for two runs $102 versus $100 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 $2,547 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 72% less than in Cambridge, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.