Cost of Living Comparison Between Norway and Australia Cost of Living Comparison Between Norway and Australia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,426 per month in Norway vs $2,182 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,692 per month in Norway vs $3,216 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,958 per month in Norway vs $4,250 in Australia, rent included.

Norway costs about 11% more than Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Norway and Australia are pricier than the global median – Norway by 81%, Australia by 63%.

Both countries show comparable internal variation: Norway spans $1,960$3,141, Australia spans $1,579$2,759. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Norway
Australia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.03 NOK 223
$16.17 A$22.54
48.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$101 NOK 937
$78.6 A$110
28.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.05 NOK 140
$9.48 A$13.21
58.76%
Cappuccino
$5.02 NOK 46.67
$3.56 A$4.96
41.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50 NOK 32.53
$2.60 A$3.62
34.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 NOK 27.06
$2.21 A$3.08
31.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$11.11 NOK 103
$6.47 A$9.02
71.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.08 NOK 93.7
$7.19 A$10.02
40.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Norway
Australia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.25 NOK 20.91
$1.56 A$2.18
44.23%
White Bread (500g)
$3.40 NOK 31.62
$2.53 A$3.53
34.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.29 NOK 30.53
$2.02 A$2.82
62.87%
Eggs
$4.63 NOK 43.00
$4.47 A$6.23
3.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.33 NOK 115
$8.86 A$12.35
39.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.32 NOK 142
$8.38 A$11.68
82.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$29.66 NOK 276
$13.71 A$19.10
116.34%
Apples (1kg)
$3.38 NOK 31.38
$3.23 A$4.50
4.64%
Banana (1kg)
$2.53 NOK 23.48
$2.84 A$3.96
-10.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.21 NOK 29.86
$2.98 A$4.15
7.72%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.69 NOK 43.60
$4.38 A$6.10
7.08%
Potato (1kg)
$2.37 NOK 22.00
$2.45 A$3.41
-3.27%
Onion (1kg)
$2.63 NOK 24.41
$2.11 A$2.94
24.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.79 NOK 25.93
$2.16 A$3.02
29.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.29 NOK 21.30
$1.58 A$2.21
44.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.91 NOK 148
$30.61 A$42.65
-48.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.10 NOK 168
$14.23 A$19.83
27.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.49 NOK 32.43
$4.55 A$6.34
-23.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.28 NOK 39.79
$4.91 A$6.84
-12.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Norway
Australia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.36 NOK 40.52
$2.89 A$4.03
50.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.0 NOK 725
$97.5 A$136
-19.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$12.03 NOK 112
$3.54 A$4.94
239.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.51 NOK 14.00
$1.75 A$2.43
-13.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$54.5 NOK 506
$38.10 A$53.1
42.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.24 NOK 20.80
$1.16 A$1.62
93.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.3K NOK 346.9K
$28.8K A$40.1K
29.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.1K NOK 372.7K
$23.2K A$32.3K
72.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Norway
Australia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$251 NOK 2,330
$179 A$249
40.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$39.72 NOK 369
$26.75 A$37.27
48.49%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.3 NOK 569
$53.7 A$74.8
14.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Norway
Australia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.86 NOK 463
$48.44 A$67.5
2.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.62 NOK 322
$16.88 A$23.52
105.09%
Cinema Ticket
$15.88 NOK 147
$13.61 A$18.97
16.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Norway
Australia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$303 NOK 2,817
$1,605 A$2,236
-81.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,477 NOK 78.8K
$12.7K A$17.7K
-33.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Norway
Australia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.5 NOK 925
$71.4 A$99.5
39.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.6 NOK 488
$50.0 A$69.7
5.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 NOK 1,062
$99.8 A$139
14.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$153 NOK 1,420
$109 A$152
40.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Norway
Australia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,286 NOK 11.9K
$1,385 A$1,930
-7.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$969 NOK 9,005
$1,076 A$1,500
-9.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,002 NOK 18.6K
$2,284 A$3,183
-12.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,602 NOK 14.9K
$1,757 A$2,448
-8.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,868 NOK 63.8K
$7,462 A$10.4K
-7.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,146 NOK 47.8K
$5,617 A$7,827
-8.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Norway
Australia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,118 NOK 38.3K
$4,070 A$5,672
1.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.54
6.35
-28.50%

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

Last update for Norway: May 31, 2026

Last update for Australia: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,199 in Norway vs $1,233 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,671 in Oslo and $1,548 in Canberra.

Average salary: $3,981 in Norway vs $3,906 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 27% more in Norway.

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
Norway vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than Norway?
Australia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 18% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Norway, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Norway consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Australia, contributing to the overall 18% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Australia or Norway?
$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Australia, but in Norway it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Australia or Norway?
Australia is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Norway vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries