Cost of Living Comparison Between Molde and Oslo Cost of Living Comparison Between Molde and Oslo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,442 in Molde versus $3,393 in Oslo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,697 in Molde versus $4,964 in Oslo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,952 in Molde versus $6,535 in Oslo.

Living in Molde costs roughly 28% less than in Oslo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Molde 79% above, Oslo 148% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.59 NOK 288

$21.87 NOK 206

39.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.8 NOK 808

$127 NOK 1,200

-32.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.94 NOK 150

$16.35 NOK 154

-2.51%

Cappuccino

$5.17 NOK 48.70

$6.18 NOK 58.2

-16.34%

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

$3.29 NOK 31.01

$4.10 NOK 38.66

-19.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 NOK 33.70

$3.45 NOK 32.50

3.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.67 NOK 110

$11.64 NOK 110

0.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.52 NOK 99.2

$12.70 NOK 120

-17.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.13 NOK 29.46

$2.65 NOK 24.97

18.11%

White Bread (500g)

$4.23 NOK 39.85

$4.12 NOK 38.84

2.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.11 NOK 38.69

$4.76 NOK 44.86

-13.66%

Eggs

$5.24 NOK 49.35

$6.14 NOK 57.9

-14.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.57 NOK 175

$14.66 NOK 138

26.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.04 NOK 151

$15.39 NOK 145

4.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$29.69 NOK 280

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 NOK 32.76

$3.44 NOK 32.44

1.16%

Banana (1kg)

$3.28 NOK 30.89

$2.68 NOK 25.24

22.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 NOK 28.97

$3.54 NOK 33.36

-12.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.93 NOK 46.41

$6.06 NOK 57.1

-18.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 24.80

$2.72 NOK 25.65

-3.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 NOK 22.88

$2.88 NOK 27.18

-15.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 NOK 26.05

$3.23 NOK 30.42

-14.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 NOK 23.98

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.59 NOK 194

$19.59 NOK 185

5.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.72 NOK 223

$16.63 NOK 157

42.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 NOK 39.25

$3.48 NOK 32.74

19.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.19 NOK 77.1

$4.39 NOK 41.34

86.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.20 NOK 48.98

$5.01 NOK 47.21

3.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.8 NOK 798

$84.9 NOK 800

-0.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$16.35 NOK 154

$12.33 NOK 116

32.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 NOK 17.58

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$70.1 NOK 661

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 NOK 21.75

$2.27 NOK 21.39

1.76%

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

$50.2K NOK 473.0K

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

$45.5K NOK 428.7K

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

$425 NOK 4,007

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

$21.65 NOK 204

$33.72 NOK 318

-35.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.4 NOK 795

$57.5 NOK 541

46.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.7 NOK 563

$61.6 NOK 580

-2.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.20 NOK 275

Cinema Ticket

$18.95 NOK 178

$19.46 NOK 183

-2.62%

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

$214 NOK 2,013

$244 NOK 2,301

-12.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K NOK 148.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 NOK 1,060

$104 NOK 976

8.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 NOK 576

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 NOK 1,305

$135 NOK 1,273

2.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 NOK 1,529

$158 NOK 1,492

2.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 NOK 12.1K

$2,026 NOK 19.1K

-36.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$981 NOK 9,241

$1,568 NOK 14.8K

-37.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,899 NOK 17.9K

$3,062 NOK 28.8K

-37.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 NOK 15.8K

$2,302 NOK 21.7K

-27.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.0K NOK 112.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,933 NOK 65.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,356 NOK 41.0K

$4,691 NOK 44.2K

-7.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

4.98

-3.61%

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

Last update for Molde: September 14, 2026

Last update for Oslo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,288 in Molde and $2,026 in Oslo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 8% 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: $86.0 in Molde vs $127 in Oslo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $429 vs $516 per month, with Molde 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

Molde vs Oslo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Molde is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 8% 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: $1,288 in Molde versus $2,026 in Oslo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $214 in Molde versus $244 in Oslo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Oslo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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

For families, Molde 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, Molde 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 Molde gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.