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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,203 per month in Oslo vs $2,557 in Baerum, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,686 per month in Oslo vs $3,928 in Baerum, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,170 per month in Oslo vs $5,298 in Baerum, rent included.

Oslo costs about 25% more than Baerum, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Oslo and Baerum sit above the global median – Oslo by 140%, Baerum by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.37 NOK 245

$25.61 NOK 247

-0.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,162

$102 NOK 984

18.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.96 NOK 144

$13.15 NOK 127

13.76%

Cappuccino

$5.08 NOK 48.95

$4.98 NOK 47.99

2.01%

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

$4.10 NOK 39.56

$2.52 NOK 24.32

62.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 NOK 30.77

$2.16 NOK 20.87

47.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.37 NOK 119

$8.84 NOK 85.3

39.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.03 NOK 106

$9.47 NOK 91.3

16.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 NOK 23.18

$2.29 NOK 22.04

4.80%

White Bread (500g)

$4.03 NOK 38.91

$3.58 NOK 34.52

12.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.67 NOK 35.41

$3.21 NOK 30.93

14.33%

Eggs

$4.95 NOK 47.70

$4.97 NOK 47.96

-0.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.66 NOK 132

$11.42 NOK 110

19.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.41 NOK 158

$16.31 NOK 157

0.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.39 NOK 303

$31.23 NOK 301

0.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 NOK 34.76

$3.56 NOK 34.29

1.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 25.38

$2.33 NOK 22.45

12.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 NOK 33.31

$3.27 NOK 31.55

5.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.07 NOK 48.85

$3.98 NOK 38.42

27.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 NOK 24.16

$2.21 NOK 21.29

13.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 NOK 26.15

$2.14 NOK 20.68

26.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 NOK 26.76

$2.83 NOK 27.30

-1.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 NOK 23.19

$1.83 NOK 17.60

31.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.46 NOK 168

$14.10 NOK 136

23.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.64 NOK 180

$18.21 NOK 176

2.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.41 NOK 32.92

$3.49 NOK 33.62

-2.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 NOK 41.96

$4.01 NOK 38.71

8.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.18 NOK 40.34

$4.15 NOK 40.00

0.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.6 NOK 767

$72.7 NOK 701

9.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 NOK 98.3

$10.29 NOK 99.2

-0.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 NOK 13.57

$1.41 NOK 13.55

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.75 NOK 403

$42.77 NOK 412

-2.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.91

$2.12 NOK 20.43

7.08%

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

$36.7K NOK 353.4K

$26.8K NOK 258.6K

36.67%

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

$42.3K NOK 408.3K

$24.3K NOK 234.2K

74.35%

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

$296 NOK 2,855

$306 NOK 2,952

-3.28%

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

$31.29 NOK 302

$40.10 NOK 387

-21.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 NOK 535

$38.04 NOK 367

45.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 NOK 553

$50.3 NOK 485

13.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.40 NOK 274

$35.74 NOK 345

-20.54%

Cinema Ticket

$18.01 NOK 174

$15.21 NOK 147

18.41%

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

$274 NOK 2,647

$272 NOK 2,625

0.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K NOK 141.6K

$14.6K NOK 141.0K

0.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 NOK 996

$105 NOK 1,015

-1.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.5 NOK 622

$46.64 NOK 450

38.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 NOK 1,166

$99.4 NOK 959

21.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 NOK 1,616

$152 NOK 1,467

10.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 NOK 16.4K

$1,232 NOK 11.9K

38.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,441 NOK 13.9K

$909 NOK 8,768

58.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,677 NOK 25.8K

$2,148 NOK 20.7K

24.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,180 NOK 21.0K

$1,608 NOK 15.5K

35.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.5K NOK 111.0K

$5,734 NOK 55.3K

100.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,961 NOK 67.1K

$3,915 NOK 37.8K

77.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,256 NOK 41.0K

$5,193 NOK 50.1K

-18.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

4.38

15.98%

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

Last update for Oslo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Baerum: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,700 in Oslo versus $1,232 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 $120 in Oslo versus $102 in Baerum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $505 vs $472 – making Baerum the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 25%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,804 per month in Oslo and $3,836 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 $3,203 in Oslo and $2,557 in Baerum. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 9% less in Baerum. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Baerum, where all-in costs run around $2,557, than in Oslo at $3,203. In Baerum it covers expenses comfortably, while in Oslo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.