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: $3,188 in Oslo versus $2,452 in Grimstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,644 in Oslo versus $3,553 in Grimstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,099 in Oslo versus $4,654 in Grimstad.

Living in Oslo is roughly 30% more expensive than in Grimstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oslo 140% above, Grimstad 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.21 NOK 242

$22.92 NOK 220

9.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 NOK 1,183

$50.8 NOK 488

142.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.39 NOK 148

$14.84 NOK 142

3.71%

Cappuccino

$4.86 NOK 46.65

$4.47 NOK 42.89

8.72%

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

$4.22 NOK 40.51

$3.99 NOK 38.24

5.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 NOK 31.83

$3.32 NOK 31.81

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.23 NOK 117

$12.32 NOK 118

-0.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.04 NOK 106

$10.31 NOK 98.9

7.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 NOK 22.31

$2.30 NOK 22.11

1.30%

White Bread (500g)

$4.18 NOK 40.14

$3.23 NOK 30.99

29.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 NOK 34.14

$2.95 NOK 28.35

20.68%

Eggs

$4.93 NOK 47.28

$3.13 NOK 29.98

57.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.33 NOK 128

$10.76 NOK 103

23.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.54 NOK 159

$13.86 NOK 133

19.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.01 NOK 297

$15.99 NOK 153

93.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 NOK 34.22

$2.00 NOK 19.15

78.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 NOK 24.16

$2.22 NOK 21.33

13.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 NOK 31.58

$3.43 NOK 32.87

-4.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 NOK 47.69

$3.96 NOK 37.97

25.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 NOK 23.45

$2.50 NOK 24.01

-2.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 NOK 25.43

$2.63 NOK 25.22

0.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 NOK 26.68

$2.79 NOK 26.75

-0.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 NOK 22.25

$1.75 NOK 16.78

32.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.05 NOK 164

$17.01 NOK 163

0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.64 NOK 179

$15.50 NOK 149

20.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 NOK 33.08

$3.37 NOK 32.35

2.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 NOK 41.58

$4.38 NOK 41.97

-1.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.13 NOK 39.65

$5.20 NOK 49.91

-20.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.1 NOK 758

$74.7 NOK 717

5.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.04 NOK 96.4

$10.04 NOK 96.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 NOK 13.80

$1.41 NOK 13.52

2.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.41 NOK 407

$42.65 NOK 409

-0.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 20.88

$2.26 NOK 21.65

-3.54%

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

$35.9K NOK 344.6K

$35.5K NOK 340.8K

1.10%

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

$42.5K NOK 407.2K

$43.4K NOK 416.7K

-2.27%

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

$295 NOK 2,830

$299 NOK 2,864

-1.19%

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

$30.62 NOK 294

$28.29 NOK 271

8.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 NOK 530

$55.0 NOK 528

0.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.7 NOK 534

$49.39 NOK 474

12.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.35 NOK 272

$35.26 NOK 338

-19.60%

Cinema Ticket

$18.46 NOK 177

$15.14 NOK 145

21.93%

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

$265 NOK 2,539

$267 NOK 2,565

-1.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K NOK 142.2K

$14.7K NOK 141.3K

0.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 NOK 989

$49.96 NOK 479

106.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.9 NOK 623

$61.3 NOK 588

5.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 NOK 1,160

$99.9 NOK 959

21.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 NOK 1,576

$165 NOK 1,580

-0.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,676 NOK 16.1K

$1,227 NOK 11.8K

36.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,415 NOK 13.6K

$894 NOK 8,576

58.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,748 NOK 26.4K

$1,789 NOK 17.2K

53.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,158 NOK 20.7K

$1,541 NOK 14.8K

40.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.6K NOK 111.7K

$4,700 NOK 45.1K

147.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 NOK 68.0K

$3,305 NOK 31.7K

114.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,263 NOK 40.9K

$4,443 NOK 42.6K

-4.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

4.9

3.67%

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

Last update for Oslo: July 26, 2026

Last update for Grimstad: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,676 in Oslo and $1,227 in Grimstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grimstad pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $123 in Oslo vs $51.0 in Grimstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $501 vs $388 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, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 4% 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: $1,676 in Oslo versus $1,227 in Grimstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,188 per month in Oslo versus $2,452 in Grimstad – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Grimstad runs roughly 6% less than in Oslo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Grimstad is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 30% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.