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: $2,404 in Molde versus $3,188 in Oslo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,650 in Molde versus $4,644 in Oslo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,896 in Molde versus $6,099 in Oslo.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.04 NOK 237

$25.21 NOK 239

-0.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.8 NOK 776

$123 NOK 1,170

-33.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.47 NOK 128

$15.39 NOK 146

-12.48%

Cappuccino

$5.34 NOK 50.6

$4.86 NOK 46.12

9.88%

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

$2.87 NOK 27.22

$4.22 NOK 40.04

-31.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 NOK 25.04

$3.32 NOK 31.47

-20.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.99 NOK 85.3

$12.23 NOK 116

-26.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.19 NOK 96.6

$11.04 NOK 105

-7.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 NOK 20.54

$2.33 NOK 22.05

-6.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 NOK 29.11

$4.18 NOK 39.68

-26.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.91 NOK 37.04

$3.56 NOK 33.75

9.83%

Eggs

$2.98 NOK 28.26

$4.93 NOK 46.74

-39.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.97 NOK 85.0

$13.33 NOK 126

-32.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.07 NOK 162

$16.54 NOK 157

3.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.04 NOK 266

$31.01 NOK 294

-9.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 NOK 23.63

$3.57 NOK 33.83

-30.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 NOK 28.38

$2.52 NOK 23.88

18.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 NOK 32.43

$3.29 NOK 31.22

3.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.54 NOK 52.5

$4.97 NOK 47.14

11.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 NOK 14.64

$2.44 NOK 23.18

-36.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 NOK 21.65

$2.65 NOK 25.13

-13.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 NOK 25.66

$2.78 NOK 26.37

-2.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 NOK 18.24

$2.32 NOK 22.00

-17.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.08 NOK 171

$17.05 NOK 162

6.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.96 NOK 218

$18.64 NOK 177

23.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 NOK 27.21

$3.45 NOK 32.70

-16.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 NOK 37.35

$4.33 NOK 41.10

-9.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.28 NOK 40.61

$4.13 NOK 39.19

3.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.5 NOK 772

$79.1 NOK 750

3.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 NOK 96.7

$10.04 NOK 95.3

1.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 NOK 13.23

$1.44 NOK 13.64

-2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.41 NOK 440

$42.41 NOK 402

9.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 21.36

$2.18 NOK 20.64

3.21%

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

$35.4K NOK 335.9K

$35.9K NOK 340.6K

-1.39%

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

$38.7K NOK 366.5K

$42.5K NOK 402.6K

-8.95%

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

$241 NOK 2,285

$295 NOK 2,797

-18.31%

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

$37.75 NOK 358

$30.62 NOK 290

23.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.4 NOK 525

$55.2 NOK 524

0.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.61 NOK 470

$55.7 NOK 528

-10.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.75 NOK 339

$28.35 NOK 269

26.10%

Cinema Ticket

$16.73 NOK 159

$18.46 NOK 175

-9.37%

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

$202 NOK 1,918

$265 NOK 2,510

-23.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K NOK 95.7K

$14.8K NOK 140.6K

-31.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.7 NOK 917

$103 NOK 978

-6.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 NOK 497

$64.9 NOK 616

-19.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 NOK 953

$121 NOK 1,147

-16.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 NOK 1,437

$164 NOK 1,558

-7.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,194 NOK 11.3K

$1,676 NOK 15.9K

-28.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$901 NOK 8,541

$1,415 NOK 13.4K

-36.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 NOK 13.3K

$2,748 NOK 26.1K

-49.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,456 NOK 13.8K

$2,158 NOK 20.5K

-32.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.6K NOK 110.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 NOK 67.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,189 NOK 39.7K

$4,263 NOK 40.4K

-1.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.75

5.08

-26.18%

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

Last update for Molde: July 27, 2026

Last update for Oslo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,194 in Molde and $1,676 in Oslo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 2% 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: $82.0 in Molde vs $123 in Oslo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $459 vs $501 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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 2% 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: $1,194 in Molde versus $1,676 in Oslo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $202 in Molde versus $265 in Oslo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% 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 33% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.