Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Baerum Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Baerum

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,387 per month in Oslo vs $3,203 in Baerum, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,974 per month in Oslo vs $4,976 in Baerum, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,560 per month in Oslo vs $6,750 in Baerum, rent included.

Oslo costs about 6% more than Baerum, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Oslo and Baerum sit above the global median – Oslo by 146%, Baerum by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.27 NOK 197

$21.53 NOK 200

-1.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$128 NOK 1,185

$131 NOK 1,218

-2.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.44 NOK 153

$16.26 NOK 151

1.11%

Cappuccino

$5.90 NOK 54.7

$6.16 NOK 57.1

-4.22%

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

$4.24 NOK 39.33

$4.16 NOK 38.56

1.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 NOK 33.09

$3.50 NOK 32.45

2.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.07 NOK 112

$11.71 NOK 109

3.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.80 NOK 119

$12.97 NOK 120

-1.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 NOK 23.90

$2.41 NOK 22.38

7.05%

White Bread (500g)

$4.34 NOK 40.29

$3.71 NOK 34.42

16.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.62 NOK 42.88

$4.51 NOK 41.80

2.44%

Eggs

$6.15 NOK 57.1

$5.76 NOK 53.4

6.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.72 NOK 137

$10.59 NOK 98.3

39.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.54 NOK 144

$15.68 NOK 145

-0.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.93 NOK 287

$30.63 NOK 284

0.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 NOK 31.04

$2.72 NOK 25.19

23.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 NOK 25.89

$2.17 NOK 20.15

28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.47 NOK 32.23

$2.19 NOK 20.34

58.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.99 NOK 55.5

$4.20 NOK 38.97

42.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 NOK 24.95

$1.68 NOK 15.61

60.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 NOK 26.76

$3.01 NOK 27.89

-4.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.26 NOK 30.22

$3.22 NOK 29.89

1.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 NOK 23.76

$2.53 NOK 23.46

1.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.43 NOK 180

$19.55 NOK 181

-0.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.04 NOK 158

$16.72 NOK 155

1.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.60 NOK 33.38

$3.52 NOK 32.65

2.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 NOK 40.08

$4.26 NOK 39.54

1.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.98 NOK 46.20

$4.58 NOK 42.46

8.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.3 NOK 800

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.52 NOK 116

$12.49 NOK 116

0.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NOK 17.80

$1.92 NOK 17.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$70.6 NOK 655

$71.7 NOK 665

-1.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 NOK 20.96

$2.30 NOK 21.36

-1.74%

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

$48.7K NOK 451.7K

$28.8K NOK 267.5K

68.90%

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

$45.3K NOK 420.1K

$26.3K NOK 243.9K

72.29%

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

$424 NOK 3,932

$349 NOK 3,239

21.40%

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

$32.72 NOK 304

$33.16 NOK 308

-1.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.1 NOK 530

$57.7 NOK 535

-1.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 NOK 559

$54.5 NOK 506

10.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.67 NOK 275

Cinema Ticket

$19.71 NOK 183

$16.36 NOK 152

20.48%

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

$252 NOK 2,336

$247 NOK 2,289

2.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K NOK 150.6K

$16.2K NOK 150.0K

0.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 NOK 963

$102 NOK 946

1.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 NOK 582

$63.2 NOK 586

-0.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 NOK 1,247

$138 NOK 1,279

-2.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 NOK 1,502

$159 NOK 1,474

1.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,043 NOK 19.0K

$1,757 NOK 16.3K

16.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 NOK 14.3K

$1,566 NOK 14.5K

-1.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,027 NOK 28.1K

$3,572 NOK 33.1K

-15.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,304 NOK 21.4K

$3,018 NOK 28.0K

-23.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K NOK 113.6K

$11.2K NOK 104.0K

9.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,156 NOK 66.4K

$10.3K NOK 95.4K

-30.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,594 NOK 42.6K

$5,601 NOK 52.0K

-17.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.96

4.6

7.83%

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

Last update for Oslo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Baerum: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,043 in Oslo versus $1,757 in Baerum. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 22% higher in Baerum, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $128 in Oslo versus $131 in Baerum. Groceries tell a different story – $523 in Oslo vs $475 in Baerum – so Baerum wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Oslo vs Baerum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Oslo is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,081 per month in Oslo and $4,804 in Baerum. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Baerum, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,387 in Oslo and $3,203 in Baerum. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $252 per month in Oslo and $247 in Baerum. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,387 in Oslo and $3,203 in Baerum. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Baerum – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Baerum. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Oslo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.