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: $2,418 in Mandal versus $3,203 in Oslo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,777 in Mandal versus $4,686 in Oslo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,136 in Mandal versus $6,170 in Oslo.

Living in Mandal costs roughly 25% less than in Oslo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mandal 81% above, Oslo 140% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.65 NOK 247

$25.37 NOK 244

1.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 NOK 1,176

$120 NOK 1,160

1.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.34 NOK 148

$14.96 NOK 144

2.54%

Cappuccino

$5.21 NOK 50.2

$5.08 NOK 48.89

2.56%

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

$4.03 NOK 38.80

$4.10 NOK 39.51

-1.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 NOK 32.70

$3.19 NOK 30.74

6.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.32 NOK 109

$12.37 NOK 119

-8.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.02 NOK 96.5

$11.03 NOK 106

-9.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 NOK 20.42

$2.40 NOK 23.15

-11.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.00 NOK 28.92

$4.03 NOK 38.86

-25.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.52 NOK 43.49

$3.67 NOK 35.37

23.16%

Eggs

$2.97 NOK 28.62

$4.95 NOK 47.65

-40.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 NOK 128

$13.66 NOK 132

-3.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.19 NOK 156

$16.41 NOK 158

-1.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.05 NOK 261

$31.39 NOK 302

-13.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 NOK 33.15

$3.60 NOK 34.72

-4.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 NOK 24.66

$2.63 NOK 25.35

-2.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 NOK 30.05

$3.45 NOK 33.27

-9.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 NOK 46.14

$5.07 NOK 48.80

-5.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 NOK 19.89

$2.51 NOK 24.14

-17.93%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 NOK 29.49

$2.71 NOK 26.12

12.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 NOK 14.75

$2.78 NOK 26.73

-44.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 NOK 17.05

$2.41 NOK 23.17

-26.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.41 NOK 148

$17.46 NOK 168

-11.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.86 NOK 172

$18.64 NOK 180

-4.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 NOK 28.72

$3.41 NOK 32.88

-12.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 NOK 27.27

$4.35 NOK 41.91

-34.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.34 NOK 41.79

$4.18 NOK 40.29

3.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.8 NOK 710

$79.6 NOK 766

-7.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 NOK 53.0

$10.20 NOK 98.2

-45.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 NOK 9.71

$1.41 NOK 13.56

-28.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$99.6 NOK 960

$41.75 NOK 402

138.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 NOK 20.75

$2.27 NOK 21.88

-5.29%

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

$34.3K NOK 330.5K

$36.7K NOK 353.0K

-6.38%

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

$33.4K NOK 321.3K

$42.3K NOK 407.8K

-21.21%

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

$193 NOK 1,863

$296 NOK 2,852

-34.70%

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

$33.83 NOK 326

$31.29 NOK 301

8.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.2 NOK 802

$55.5 NOK 534

50.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.80 NOK 470

$57.4 NOK 552

-14.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.86 NOK 345

$28.40 NOK 274

26.27%

Cinema Ticket

$19.04 NOK 183

$18.01 NOK 173

5.72%

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

$319 NOK 3,072

$274 NOK 2,644

16.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K NOK 123.3K

$14.7K NOK 141.4K

-12.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 NOK 1,156

$103 NOK 995

16.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.7 NOK 575

$64.5 NOK 621

-7.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 NOK 995

$121 NOK 1,164

-14.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 NOK 1,536

$168 NOK 1,614

-4.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 NOK 11.8K

$1,700 NOK 16.4K

-28.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$882 NOK 8,500

$1,441 NOK 13.9K

-38.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,839 NOK 17.7K

$2,677 NOK 25.8K

-31.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 NOK 14.7K

$2,180 NOK 21.0K

-30.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,630 NOK 63.9K

$11.5K NOK 110.9K

-42.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,911 NOK 37.7K

$6,961 NOK 67.1K

-43.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,139 NOK 39.9K

$4,256 NOK 41.0K

-2.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

5.08

-11.22%

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

Last update for Mandal: July 11, 2026

Last update for Oslo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,221 in Mandal and $1,700 in Oslo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 3% 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: $122 in Mandal vs $120 in Oslo. Groceries flip the comparison at $448 vs $505, with Mandal 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

Mandal vs Oslo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandal is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 3% 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: $1,221 in Mandal versus $1,700 in Oslo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,418 per month in Mandal versus $3,203 in Oslo – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mandal runs roughly 8% 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 32% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.