πMonthly costs for one person with rent: $3,167 in Oslo versus $2,297 in Holmestrand.
πEstimated couple costs with rent: $4,598 in Oslo versus $3,561 in Holmestrand.
πMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,029 in Oslo versus $4,826 in Holmestrand.
πLiving in Oslo is roughly 38% more expensive than Holmestrand, driven mainly by Eating Out.
πBoth cities are pricier than the global median: Oslo136% above, Holmestrand71% above.
Currency
π½ Eating Out
Oslo
Holmestrand
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.05NOKΒ 238
$19.11NOKΒ 181
31.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$121NOKΒ 1,145
$99.4NOKΒ 943
21.42%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$15.29NOKΒ 145
$13.51NOKΒ 128
13.18%
Cappuccino
$5.01NOKΒ 47.58
$4.90NOKΒ 46.47
2.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.22NOKΒ 40.04
$2.06NOKΒ 19.52
104.85%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33NOKΒ 31.62
$2.07NOKΒ 19.69
60.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$11.97NOKΒ 114
$9.18NOKΒ 87.1
30.39%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$11.28NOKΒ 107
$9.51NOKΒ 90.3
18.61%
π Groceries & Markets
Oslo
Holmestrand
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.29NOKΒ 21.75
$1.59NOKΒ 15.11
44.03%
White Bread(500g)
$4.12NOKΒ 39.10
$3.27NOKΒ 30.99
25.99%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.60NOKΒ 34.19
$2.06NOKΒ 19.60
74.76%
Eggs
$5.15NOKΒ 48.87
$4.01NOKΒ 38.07
28.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.37NOKΒ 127
$10.84NOKΒ 103
23.34%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$16.54NOKΒ 157
$13.95NOKΒ 132
18.57%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$31.78NOKΒ 302
$40.21NOKΒ 382
-20.96%
Apples(1kg)
$3.55NOKΒ 33.66
$1.98NOKΒ 18.77
79.29%
Banana(1kg)
$2.60NOKΒ 24.69
$2.33NOKΒ 22.15
11.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.42NOKΒ 32.50
$3.32NOKΒ 31.51
3.01%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.97NOKΒ 47.21
$2.36NOKΒ 22.41
110.59%
Potato(1kg)
$2.56NOKΒ 24.29
$0.77NOKΒ 7.33
232.47%
Onion(1kg)
$2.67NOKΒ 25.36
$1.29NOKΒ 12.22
106.98%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.78NOKΒ 26.35
$3.01NOKΒ 28.55
-7.64%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.39NOKΒ 22.73
$1.83NOKΒ 17.33
30.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$16.92NOKΒ 161
$14.13NOKΒ 134
19.75%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.07NOKΒ 181
$18.61NOKΒ 177
2.47%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.46NOKΒ 32.83
$3.01NOKΒ 28.60
14.95%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.23NOKΒ 40.15
$3.92NOKΒ 37.21
7.91%
π Getting Around
Oslo
Holmestrand
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.16NOKΒ 39.48
$4.13NOKΒ 39.19
0.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$79.0NOKΒ 750
$73.0NOKΒ 692
8.32%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$10.08NOKΒ 95.7
$8.90NOKΒ 84.4
13.26%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.45NOKΒ 13.76
$0.95NOKΒ 9.01
52.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$42.60NOKΒ 404
$102NOKΒ 970
-58.32%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.18NOKΒ 20.69
$2.12NOKΒ 20.12
2.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.8KNOKΒ 349.4K
$38.3KNOKΒ 363.7K
-3.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.9KNOKΒ 397.5K
$34.4KNOKΒ 326.1K
21.92%
π§Ύ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oslo
Holmestrand
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$301NOKΒ 2,857
$216NOKΒ 2,052
39.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.61NOKΒ 300
$44.01NOKΒ 418
-28.18%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$56.3NOKΒ 534
$37.22NOKΒ 353
51.24%
π Sport & Entertainment
Oslo
Holmestrand
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$56.2NOKΒ 533
$48.95NOKΒ 465
14.75%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.38NOKΒ 279
$34.80NOKΒ 330
-15.57%
Cinema Ticket
$18.20NOKΒ 173
$14.91NOKΒ 142
22.07%
π§Έ Childcare & Education
Oslo
Holmestrand
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$273NOKΒ 2,587
$310NOKΒ 2,941
-12.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.0KNOKΒ 142.3K
$10.3KNOKΒ 97.3K
46.20%
ππ Clothing & Footwear
Oslo
Holmestrand
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102NOKΒ 966
$110NOKΒ 1,040
-7.12%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$64.9NOKΒ 616
$29.87NOKΒ 284
117.14%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$122NOKΒ 1,155
$98.2NOKΒ 932
23.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$167NOKΒ 1,590
$133NOKΒ 1,264
25.77%
π Accommodation & Living
Oslo
Holmestrand
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,738NOKΒ 16.5K
$1,213NOKΒ 11.5K
43.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,422NOKΒ 13.5K
$906NOKΒ 8,597
57.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,689NOKΒ 25.5K
$1,846NOKΒ 17.5K
45.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,122NOKΒ 20.1K
$1,527NOKΒ 14.5K
39.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$11.7KNOKΒ 110.8K
$6,481NOKΒ 61.5K
80.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$7,097NOKΒ 67.4K
$3,913NOKΒ 37.1K
81.38%
π΅ Salaries & Financials
Oslo
Holmestrand
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,357NOKΒ 41.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.08
2
154.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input β minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Oslo: June 7, 2026
Last update for Holmestrand: June 9, 2026
Cost Breakdown
π A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,738 in Oslo and $1,213 in Holmestrand. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
πDining out: $121 in Oslo vs $99.0 in Holmestrand for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $506 vs $444 per month, with Holmestrand 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 Holmestrand: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Oslo or Holmestrand?
Holmestrand wins on cost β living expenses run 38% lower than in Oslo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Holmestrand the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Oslo vs Holmestrand?
You'd need roughly $4,751 in Oslo and $3,445 in Holmestrand to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Oslo vs Holmestrand?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,738 in Oslo versus $1,213 in Holmestrand. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Oslo and Holmestrand?
Childcare runs $273 in Oslo versus $310 in Holmestrand. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Oslo or Holmestrand?
Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Oslo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Oslo or Holmestrand?
At $2,297 in Holmestrand versus $3,167 in Oslo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Holmestrand but tight or insufficient in Oslo. The gap between the two cities makes Holmestrand the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Oslo or Holmestrand?
Both work as nomad bases, but Holmestrand delivers better value β similar infrastructure at $2,297 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Holmestrand hard to pass up.
How safe is Oslo compared to Holmestrand?
Safety-wise, Oslo and Holmestrand are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Holmestrand gentler on the wallet β expenses run 38% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.