Cost of Living Comparison Between Newton, MA and Arendal Cost of Living Comparison Between Newton, MA and Arendal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,368 in Newton, MA versus $2,237 in Arendal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,308 in Newton, MA versus $3,331 in Arendal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,247 in Newton, MA versus $4,425 in Arendal.

Living in Newton, MA is roughly 51% more expensive than in Arendal, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Newton, MA 152% above, Arendal 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.06 $25.06

$17.94 NOK 173

39.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.7 $99.7

$74.4 NOK 717

33.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.13 $11.13

$14.88 NOK 143

-25.20%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.08 NOK 48.93

11.42%

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

$2.81 $2.81

$3.21 NOK 30.96

-12.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$3.07 NOK 29.57

-25.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.59 $6.59

$11.20 NOK 108

-41.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$10.23 NOK 98.6

-19.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$2.33 NOK 22.44

-46.78%

White Bread (500g)

$4.24 $4.24

$3.06 NOK 29.51

38.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.34 $6.34

$3.53 NOK 34.05

79.60%

Eggs

$4.63 $4.63

$4.37 NOK 42.05

5.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.50 $19.50

$12.84 NOK 124

51.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.24 $13.24

$15.79 NOK 152

-16.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.25 $14.25

$27.39 NOK 264

-47.97%

Apples (1kg)

$5.82 $5.82

$3.39 NOK 32.63

71.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.62 NOK 25.24

-28.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.08 NOK 29.68

94.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.59 NOK 44.26

31.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$2.14 NOK 20.58

50.93%

Onion (1kg)

$3.64 $3.64

$2.99 NOK 28.80

21.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.56 NOK 24.65

-0.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.76 NOK 16.96

20.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.41 $13.41

$15.33 NOK 148

-12.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.76 $15.76

$16.97 NOK 163

-7.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$3.34 NOK 32.16

-47.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.99 NOK 38.44

-36.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 $2.36

$3.83 NOK 36.93

-38.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.9 $88.9

$105 NOK 1,009

-15.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 $2.66

$7.94 NOK 76.5

-66.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.10 NOK 20.18

-17.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.54 $27.54

$30.41 NOK 293

-9.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$2.05 NOK 19.78

-54.15%

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

$28.6K $28.6K

$34.5K NOK 332.6K

-17.14%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$32.4K NOK 312.1K

-22.64%

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

$186 $186

$193 NOK 1,861

-3.97%

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

$58.3 $58.3

$35.70 NOK 344

63.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.7 $68.7

$73.7 NOK 710

-6.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.8 $64.8

$44.57 NOK 429

45.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.6 NOK 507

Cinema Ticket

$13.02 $13.02

$12.25 NOK 118

6.29%

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

$1,256 $1,256

$308 NOK 2,964

308.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K $27.0K

$9,980 NOK 96.1K

170.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.6 $66.6

$95.2 NOK 917

-30.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 $37.93

$58.8 NOK 566

-35.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 $92.6

$104 NOK 1,002

-10.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 $146

$162 NOK 1,559

-9.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,846 $1,846

$1,076 NOK 10.4K

71.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 $1,826

$718 NOK 6,913

154.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,684 $3,684

$1,314 NOK 12.7K

180.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,723 $3,723

$1,141 NOK 11.0K

226.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,074 $6,074

$3,056 NOK 29.4K

98.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,307 $5,307

$2,066 NOK 19.9K

156.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,676 $7,676

$4,050 NOK 39.0K

89.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

3.6

77.22%

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

Last update for Newton, MA: July 14, 2026

Last update for Arendal: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,846 in Newton, MA and $1,076 in Arendal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Newton, MA pays 90% 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: $100 in Newton, MA vs $74.0 in Arendal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $459 vs $456 per month, with Arendal 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

Newton, MA vs Arendal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Newton, MA and Arendal differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($3,368 vs $2,237 including rent). Arendal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 90% higher in Newton, MA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,846 in Newton, MA versus $1,076 in Arendal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,256 in Newton, MA versus $308 in Arendal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Newton, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,237 in Arendal versus $3,368 in Newton, MA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Arendal but tight or insufficient in Newton, MA. The gap between the two cities makes Arendal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Newton, MA and Arendal 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 Arendal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Newton, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.