Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Grimstad Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Grimstad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,387 in Oslo versus $2,217 in Grimstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,974 in Oslo versus $3,795 in Grimstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,560 in Oslo versus $5,373 in Grimstad.

Living in Oslo is roughly 53% more expensive than in Grimstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oslo 146% above, Grimstad 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.27 NOK 198

$21.54 NOK 200

-1.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$128 NOK 1,187

$79.4 NOK 738

60.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.44 NOK 153

$15.52 NOK 144

5.93%

Cappuccino

$5.90 NOK 54.8

$4.83 NOK 44.89

22.15%

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

$4.24 NOK 39.38

$4.34 NOK 40.32

-2.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 NOK 33.14

$3.52 NOK 32.72

1.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.07 NOK 112

$11.77 NOK 109

2.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.80 NOK 119

$10.92 NOK 101

17.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 NOK 23.93

$2.60 NOK 24.13

-0.77%

White Bread (500g)

$4.34 NOK 40.35

$3.76 NOK 34.89

15.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.62 NOK 42.94

$3.15 NOK 29.25

46.67%

Eggs

$6.15 NOK 57.2

$3.62 NOK 33.61

69.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.72 NOK 137

$13.35 NOK 124

10.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.54 NOK 144

$14.60 NOK 136

6.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.93 NOK 287

$25.16 NOK 234

22.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 NOK 31.08

$2.18 NOK 20.28

53.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 NOK 25.93

$2.38 NOK 22.13

17.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.47 NOK 32.28

$3.50 NOK 32.53

-0.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.99 NOK 55.6

$4.41 NOK 40.96

35.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 NOK 24.98

$2.78 NOK 25.85

-3.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 NOK 26.79

$2.98 NOK 27.69

-3.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.26 NOK 30.26

$3.20 NOK 29.76

1.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 NOK 23.79

$1.93 NOK 17.96

32.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.43 NOK 180

$19.65 NOK 183

-1.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.04 NOK 158

$15.93 NOK 148

6.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.60 NOK 33.43

$3.48 NOK 32.34

3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 NOK 40.14

$4.44 NOK 41.24

-2.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.98 NOK 46.26

$5.53 NOK 51.4

-9.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.3 NOK 801

$95.2 NOK 885

-9.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.52 NOK 116

$12.33 NOK 115

1.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NOK 17.83

$1.85 NOK 17.15

3.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$70.6 NOK 656

$71.1 NOK 660

-0.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 NOK 20.98

$2.25 NOK 20.91

0.44%

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

$48.7K NOK 452.4K

$49.3K NOK 457.6K

-1.14%

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

$45.3K NOK 420.7K

$46.3K NOK 429.7K

-2.09%

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

$424 NOK 3,938

$317 NOK 2,947

33.60%

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

$32.72 NOK 304

$33.46 NOK 311

-2.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.1 NOK 530

$57.6 NOK 535

-0.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 NOK 560

$43.15 NOK 401

39.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.67 NOK 276

Cinema Ticket

$19.71 NOK 183

$16.42 NOK 153

20.04%

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

$252 NOK 2,340

$254 NOK 2,358

-0.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K NOK 150.8K

$16.3K NOK 151.2K

-0.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 NOK 964

$97.7 NOK 908

6.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 NOK 582

$54.4 NOK 505

15.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 NOK 1,249

$108 NOK 999

25.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 NOK 1,504

$158 NOK 1,469

2.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,043 NOK 19.0K

$919 NOK 8,541

122.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 NOK 14.3K

$535 NOK 4,971

188.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,027 NOK 28.1K

$1,988 NOK 18.5K

52.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,304 NOK 21.4K

$1,829 NOK 17.0K

25.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K NOK 113.8K

$4,773 NOK 44.3K

156.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,156 NOK 66.5K

$3,457 NOK 32.1K

106.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,594 NOK 42.7K

$4,632 NOK 43.0K

-0.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.96

4.9

1.22%

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

Last update for Oslo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Grimstad: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,043 in Oslo and $919 in Grimstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grimstad pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $128 in Oslo vs $79.0 in Grimstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $523 vs $449 per month, with Grimstad cheaper across the board.

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 Grimstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Grimstad is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 53% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Grimstad. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,043 in Oslo versus $919 in Grimstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,387 per month in Oslo versus $2,217 in Grimstad – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Grimstad runs roughly 10% less than in Oslo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,217 in Grimstad versus $3,387 in Oslo, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Grimstad but tight or insufficient in Oslo. The gap between the two cities makes Grimstad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Grimstad is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Oslo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Oslo and Grimstad are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Grimstad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.