Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandal and Oslo Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandal and Oslo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,864 in Mandal versus $3,482 in Oslo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,253 in Mandal versus $4,887 in Oslo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,642 in Mandal versus $6,292 in Oslo.

Living in Mandal costs roughly 18% less than in Oslo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mandal 108% above, Oslo 153% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.02 NOK 242

$21.52 NOK 200

20.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.5 NOK 906

$127 NOK 1,181

-23.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.79 NOK 147

$15.83 NOK 147

-0.25%

Cappuccino

$6.58 NOK 61.1

$6.01 NOK 55.8

9.48%

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

$5.54 NOK 51.4

$4.17 NOK 38.71

32.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 NOK 40.94

$3.43 NOK 31.81

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.96 NOK 130

$11.58 NOK 108

20.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.33 NOK 114

$12.62 NOK 117

-2.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 NOK 21.23

$2.57 NOK 23.89

-10.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 NOK 34.75

$4.31 NOK 40.04

-13.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 NOK 36.42

$4.59 NOK 42.61

-14.60%

Eggs

$3.30 NOK 30.66

$5.96 NOK 55.4

-44.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.06 NOK 131

$14.97 NOK 139

-6.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.95 NOK 157

$15.70 NOK 146

7.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.88 NOK 333

$30.01 NOK 279

19.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 NOK 34.57

$3.48 NOK 32.33

6.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 NOK 26.99

$2.67 NOK 24.82

8.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 NOK 33.19

$3.63 NOK 33.67

-1.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 NOK 46.08

$5.97 NOK 55.4

-16.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 NOK 23.66

$2.74 NOK 25.48

-6.93%

Onion (1kg)

$3.21 NOK 29.80

$2.94 NOK 27.30

9.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 NOK 14.67

$3.21 NOK 29.80

-50.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 NOK 21.38

$2.46 NOK 22.79

-6.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.16 NOK 169

$19.43 NOK 180

-6.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 NOK 172

$16.63 NOK 154

11.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.11 NOK 28.92

$3.46 NOK 32.15

-10.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 NOK 28.87

$4.29 NOK 39.85

-27.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.91 NOK 45.60

$4.95 NOK 46.00

-0.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.7 NOK 749

$83.6 NOK 776

-3.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 NOK 54.9

$12.10 NOK 112

-51.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 NOK 11.69

$1.92 NOK 17.82

-34.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$105 NOK 979

$71.7 NOK 666

47.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 NOK 20.44

$2.27 NOK 21.10

-3.08%

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

$49.4K NOK 459.0K

$50.0K NOK 464.3K

-1.16%

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

$42.4K NOK 393.6K

$45.3K NOK 420.2K

-6.34%

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

$247 NOK 2,292

$431 NOK 4,001

-42.70%

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

$34.96 NOK 325

$32.70 NOK 304

6.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.7 NOK 768

$56.7 NOK 526

45.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 NOK 471

$59.6 NOK 553

-14.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.96 NOK 325

$28.91 NOK 268

20.93%

Cinema Ticket

$21.98 NOK 204

$19.06 NOK 177

15.32%

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

$329 NOK 3,055

$251 NOK 2,335

30.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K NOK 134.3K

$15.8K NOK 147.0K

-8.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$130 NOK 1,212

$103 NOK 952

27.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 NOK 563

$62.1 NOK 576

-2.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$155 NOK 1,443

$138 NOK 1,283

12.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 NOK 1,877

$161 NOK 1,492

25.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 NOK 11.9K

$2,079 NOK 19.3K

-38.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,123 NOK 10.4K

$1,577 NOK 14.6K

-28.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,207 NOK 20.5K

$3,043 NOK 28.3K

-27.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,744 NOK 16.2K

$2,251 NOK 20.9K

-22.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,510 NOK 60.4K

$12.1K NOK 112.6K

-46.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,359 NOK 40.5K

$6,880 NOK 63.9K

-36.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,421 NOK 41.0K

$4,469 NOK 41.5K

-1.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.27

4.96

6.25%

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

Last update for Mandal: August 30, 2026

Last update for Oslo: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Mandal and $2,079 in Oslo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 1% 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: $98.0 in Mandal vs $127 in Oslo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $506 vs $518 per month, with Mandal 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

Mandal vs Oslo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandal is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Oslo. 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: $1,284 in Mandal versus $2,079 in Oslo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,864 per month in Mandal versus $3,482 in Oslo – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mandal runs roughly 4% less than in Oslo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Mandal is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Mandal is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Oslo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mandal and Oslo 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 Mandal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.