Cost of Living Comparison Between Norway and Germany Cost of Living Comparison Between Norway and Germany

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,700 in Norway versus $2,060 in Germany.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,033 in Norway versus $3,092 in Germany.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,365 in Norway versus $4,124 in Germany.

Living in Norway is roughly 31% more expensive than in Germany on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Norway 97% above, Germany 50% above.

Norway ($1,524$3,482) and Germany ($1,389$2,918) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Norway
Germany
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.30 NOK 217
$17.17 €14.81
35.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$107 NOK 1,000
$75.8 €65.4
41.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.97 NOK 149
$13.00 €11.21
22.85%
Cappuccino
$5.49 NOK 51.2
$4.25 €3.66
29.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.17 NOK 38.87
$3.63 €3.13
14.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27 NOK 30.48
$3.07 €2.65
6.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$11.79 NOK 110
$5.30 €4.57
122.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$11.17 NOK 104
$4.62 €3.99
141.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Norway
Germany
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.49 NOK 23.28
$1.39 €1.20
79.14%
White Bread (500g)
$3.76 NOK 35.04
$2.17 €1.87
73.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.74 NOK 34.93
$3.62 €3.13
3.31%
Eggs
$5.21 NOK 48.64
$4.04 €3.48
28.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.85 NOK 129
$14.95 €12.89
-7.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.78 NOK 157
$12.09 €10.43
38.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$32.46 NOK 303
$22.00 €18.98
47.55%
Apples (1kg)
$3.85 NOK 35.89
$3.37 €2.91
14.24%
Banana (1kg)
$2.77 NOK 25.80
$2.05 €1.77
35.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.76 NOK 35.10
$2.38 €2.05
57.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.38 NOK 50.2
$4.40 €3.79
22.27%
Potato (1kg)
$2.60 NOK 24.26
$1.53 €1.32
69.93%
Onion (1kg)
$2.98 NOK 27.83
$1.51 €1.30
97.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.97 NOK 27.73
$1.72 €1.49
72.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 NOK 21.90
$1.11 €0.96
111.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$18.13 NOK 169
$10.31 €8.89
75.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.27 NOK 170
$5.78 €4.98
216.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.70 NOK 34.56
$1.17 €1.01
216.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.33 NOK 40.37
$1.61 €1.39
168.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Norway
Germany
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.94 NOK 46.12
$3.86 €3.33
27.98%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$86.6 NOK 808
$74.6 €64.4
16.08%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$12.31 NOK 115
$5.48 €4.73
124.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.82 NOK 16.94
$2.91 €2.51
-37.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$71.6 NOK 668
$40.53 €34.96
76.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.32 NOK 21.61
$2.09 €1.80
11.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.9K NOK 465.2K
$34.2K €29.5K
45.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.8K NOK 418.5K
$39.7K €34.3K
12.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Norway
Germany
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$271 NOK 2,527
$357 €308
-24.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$39.23 NOK 366
$26.61 €22.95
47.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$74.3 NOK 693
$50.3 €43.39
47.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Norway
Germany
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.8 NOK 474
$42.58 €36.72
19.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$38.02 NOK 355
$28.78 €24.82
32.11%
Cinema Ticket
$18.64 NOK 174
$14.83 €12.79
25.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Norway
Germany
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$295 NOK 2,749
$599 €517
-50.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,191 NOK 76.4K
$17.8K €15.3K
-53.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Norway
Germany
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$109 NOK 1,021
$93.1 €80.3
17.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.6 NOK 547
$43.73 €37.72
34.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$123 NOK 1,150
$103 €88.4
20.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$172 NOK 1,601
$132 €114
29.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Norway
Germany
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,413 NOK 13.2K
$928 €801
52.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,087 NOK 10.1K
$723 €624
50.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,176 NOK 20.3K
$1,756 €1,515
23.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,758 NOK 16.4K
$1,361 €1,174
29.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,862 NOK 64.0K
$6,208 €5,354
10.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,153 NOK 48.1K
$4,162 €3,589
23.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Norway
Germany
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,168 NOK 38.9K
$3,399 €2,932
22.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
3.96
26.26%

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

Last update for Norway: August 30, 2026

Last update for Germany: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,264 in Norway, $833 in Germany. Capital cities: $2,079 in Oslo vs $1,567 in Berlin.

National salary averages: $3,998 in Norway, $3,225 in Germany. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 52% higher in Norway.

Dining out costs 42% more in Norway.

Public transport is 18% more expensive in Norway.

Salaries are 24% higher 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 Germany: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Germany or Norway?
At $2,154 per month in Germany and $2,503 in Norway, there's a 16% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Germany or Norway?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Germany: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Germany and Norway?
Rent in Norway is consistently higher than in Germany across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $3,000 go in Germany compared to Norway?
In Germany, $3,000 covers most cities easily; in Norway it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Germany and in Norway?
It depends on what you're after: Germany wins on affordability; Norway may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Norway vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries