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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,141 per month in Oslo vs $2,560 in Baerum, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,597 per month in Oslo vs $3,853 in Baerum, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,053 per month in Oslo vs $5,146 in Baerum, rent included.

Oslo costs about 23% more than Baerum, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Oslo and Baerum sit above the global median – Oslo by 134%, Baerum by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.53 NOK 237

$25.44 NOK 236

0.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 NOK 1,138

$103 NOK 959

18.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.15 NOK 141

$13.54 NOK 126

11.89%

Cappuccino

$4.86 NOK 45.18

$5.07 NOK 47.08

-4.14%

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

$4.08 NOK 37.95

$2.52 NOK 23.37

61.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 NOK 29.65

$2.13 NOK 19.75

49.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.02 NOK 112

$8.96 NOK 83.2

34.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.22 NOK 104

$9.87 NOK 91.7

13.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 NOK 22.24

$2.29 NOK 21.27

4.37%

White Bread (500g)

$4.09 NOK 37.98

$3.56 NOK 33.07

14.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 NOK 34.02

$3.16 NOK 29.35

15.82%

Eggs

$5.03 NOK 46.77

$5.03 NOK 46.70

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.46 NOK 125

$11.44 NOK 106

17.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.04 NOK 149

$15.92 NOK 148

0.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.76 NOK 286

$31.04 NOK 288

-0.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 NOK 32.47

$3.57 NOK 33.14

-2.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 24.41

$2.32 NOK 21.51

13.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 NOK 31.16

$3.32 NOK 30.83

0.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.16 NOK 47.96

$4.19 NOK 38.89

23.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 NOK 22.58

$2.30 NOK 21.33

5.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 NOK 25.21

$2.23 NOK 20.68

21.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 NOK 26.48

$2.85 NOK 26.50

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 NOK 21.73

$1.82 NOK 16.90

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.19 NOK 160

$14.05 NOK 131

22.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.93 NOK 176

$19.53 NOK 181

-3.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 NOK 31.12

$3.47 NOK 32.22

-3.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 NOK 40.67

$4.03 NOK 37.45

8.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.31 NOK 40.00

$4.13 NOK 38.41

4.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 NOK 723

$73.5 NOK 683

5.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.04 NOK 93.3

$9.95 NOK 92.4

0.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 NOK 12.86

$1.44 NOK 13.42

-4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.24 NOK 392

$42.95 NOK 399

-1.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 20.24

$2.13 NOK 19.75

2.35%

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

$36.5K NOK 338.8K

$27.9K NOK 258.8K

30.94%

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

$42.7K NOK 396.5K

$24.6K NOK 228.9K

73.23%

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

$304 NOK 2,821

$305 NOK 2,829

-0.30%

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

$31.63 NOK 294

$41.01 NOK 381

-22.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 NOK 530

$37.37 NOK 347

52.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 NOK 537

$50.5 NOK 469

14.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.64 NOK 266

$35.85 NOK 333

-20.11%

Cinema Ticket

$18.01 NOK 167

$15.44 NOK 143

16.65%

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

$274 NOK 2,543

$268 NOK 2,488

2.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K NOK 135.1K

$14.9K NOK 138.5K

-2.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 NOK 983

$105 NOK 977

0.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.4 NOK 608

$47.13 NOK 438

38.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 NOK 1,152

$99.7 NOK 926

24.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 NOK 1,564

$152 NOK 1,410

10.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 NOK 15.5K

$1,216 NOK 11.3K

37.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,446 NOK 13.4K

$908 NOK 8,438

59.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,749 NOK 25.5K

$2,140 NOK 19.9K

28.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,165 NOK 20.1K

$1,613 NOK 15.0K

34.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.0K NOK 111.7K

$6,036 NOK 56.1K

99.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,295 NOK 67.8K

$4,455 NOK 41.4K

63.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,411 NOK 41.0K

$5,515 NOK 51.2K

-20.03%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Baerum: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,671 in Oslo versus $1,216 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 25% 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 $122 in Oslo versus $103 in Baerum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $500 vs $473 – 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 23%, 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 $4,711 per month in Oslo and $3,840 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 $3,141 in Oslo and $2,560 in Baerum. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 6% 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 $2,560, than in Oslo at $3,141. 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.