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: $3,167 in Oslo versus $2,382 in Grimstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,598 in Oslo versus $3,516 in Grimstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,029 in Oslo versus $4,650 in Grimstad.

Living in Oslo is roughly 33% more expensive than Grimstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oslo 136% above, Grimstad 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.05 NOK 238

$22.62 NOK 215

10.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,145

$51.1 NOK 485

136.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.29 NOK 145

$14.93 NOK 142

2.41%

Cappuccino

$5.01 NOK 47.58

$4.65 NOK 44.16

7.74%

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

$4.22 NOK 40.04

$3.95 NOK 37.53

6.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 NOK 31.62

$3.18 NOK 30.15

4.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.97 NOK 114

$12.35 NOK 117

-3.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.28 NOK 107

$10.13 NOK 96.2

11.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 NOK 21.75

$2.38 NOK 22.61

-3.78%

White Bread (500g)

$4.12 NOK 39.10

$3.11 NOK 29.55

32.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.60 NOK 34.19

$3.12 NOK 29.63

15.38%

Eggs

$5.15 NOK 48.87

$3.28 NOK 31.10

57.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.37 NOK 127

$10.98 NOK 104

21.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.54 NOK 157

$13.84 NOK 131

19.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.78 NOK 302

$16.01 NOK 152

98.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 NOK 33.66

$2.04 NOK 19.38

74.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 NOK 24.69

$2.25 NOK 21.32

15.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 NOK 32.50

$3.32 NOK 31.53

3.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 NOK 47.21

$4.04 NOK 38.33

23.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 NOK 24.29

$2.44 NOK 23.13

4.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 NOK 25.36

$2.57 NOK 24.37

3.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 NOK 26.35

$2.84 NOK 26.94

-2.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 NOK 22.73

$1.74 NOK 16.54

37.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.92 NOK 161

$16.98 NOK 161

-0.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.07 NOK 181

$15.94 NOK 151

19.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.46 NOK 32.83

$3.38 NOK 32.07

2.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 NOK 40.15

$4.20 NOK 39.82

0.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.16 NOK 39.48

$5.18 NOK 49.19

-19.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.0 NOK 750

$77.0 NOK 731

2.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.08 NOK 95.7

$10.22 NOK 97.0

-1.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 NOK 13.76

$1.41 NOK 13.36

2.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.60 NOK 404

$42.62 NOK 405

-0.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 20.69

$2.28 NOK 21.67

-4.39%

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

$36.8K NOK 349.4K

$36.2K NOK 344.0K

1.56%

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

$41.9K NOK 397.5K

$43.2K NOK 409.9K

-3.01%

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

$301 NOK 2,857

$300 NOK 2,843

0.51%

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

$31.61 NOK 300

$28.50 NOK 271

10.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 NOK 534

$57.0 NOK 541

-1.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 NOK 533

$49.64 NOK 471

13.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.38 NOK 279

$34.88 NOK 331

-15.77%

Cinema Ticket

$18.20 NOK 173

$15.05 NOK 143

20.93%

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

$273 NOK 2,587

$269 NOK 2,552

1.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K NOK 142.3K

$15.0K NOK 142.1K

0.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 NOK 966

$50.8 NOK 482

100.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.9 NOK 616

$61.9 NOK 588

4.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 NOK 1,155

$103 NOK 979

17.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$167 NOK 1,590

$166 NOK 1,580

0.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 NOK 16.5K

$1,216 NOK 11.5K

42.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,422 NOK 13.5K

$907 NOK 8,608

56.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,689 NOK 25.5K

$1,800 NOK 17.1K

49.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,122 NOK 20.1K

$1,542 NOK 14.6K

37.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.7K NOK 110.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,097 NOK 67.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,357 NOK 41.4K

$4,416 NOK 41.9K

-1.35%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Grimstad: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,738 in Oslo and $1,216 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: $121 in Oslo vs $51.0 in Grimstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $506 vs $390 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Grimstad earns 1% less. 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: $1,738 in Oslo versus $1,216 in Grimstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,167 per month in Oslo versus $2,382 in Grimstad – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Grimstad runs roughly 3% less than in Oslo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,382 in Grimstad versus $3,167 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 33% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.