Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Kongsberg Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Kongsberg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,203 per month in Oslo vs $2,316 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,686 per month in Oslo vs $3,511 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,170 per month in Oslo vs $4,705 in Kongsberg, rent included.

Oslo costs about 38% more than Kongsberg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Oslo and Kongsberg sit above the global median – Oslo by 140%, Kongsberg by 73%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.37 NOK 244

$22.56 NOK 217

12.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,160

$70.6 NOK 680

70.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.96 NOK 144

$13.14 NOK 127

13.85%

Cappuccino

$5.08 NOK 48.89

$4.82 NOK 46.38

5.39%

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

$4.10 NOK 39.51

$2.47 NOK 23.79

65.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 NOK 30.74

$2.12 NOK 20.39

50.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.37 NOK 119

$8.99 NOK 86.6

37.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.03 NOK 106

$10.07 NOK 97.0

9.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 NOK 23.15

$2.11 NOK 20.37

13.74%

White Bread (500g)

$4.03 NOK 38.86

$3.05 NOK 29.36

32.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.67 NOK 35.37

$3.18 NOK 30.65

15.41%

Eggs

$4.95 NOK 47.65

$4.69 NOK 45.18

5.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.66 NOK 132

$10.32 NOK 99.4

32.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.41 NOK 158

$11.68 NOK 113

40.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.39 NOK 302

$17.66 NOK 170

77.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 NOK 34.72

$3.17 NOK 30.52

13.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 25.35

$2.35 NOK 22.65

11.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 NOK 33.27

$3.24 NOK 31.24

6.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.07 NOK 48.80

$4.12 NOK 39.70

23.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 NOK 24.14

$2.20 NOK 21.20

14.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 NOK 26.12

$2.24 NOK 21.55

20.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 NOK 26.73

$3.02 NOK 29.05

-7.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 NOK 23.17

$1.83 NOK 17.62

31.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.46 NOK 168

$17.19 NOK 166

1.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.64 NOK 180

$15.05 NOK 145

23.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.41 NOK 32.88

$3.21 NOK 30.89

6.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 NOK 41.91

$3.84 NOK 36.96

13.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.18 NOK 40.29

$2.46 NOK 23.66

69.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.6 NOK 766

$89.4 NOK 861

-10.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 NOK 98.2

$10.28 NOK 99.0

-0.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 NOK 13.56

$1.39 NOK 13.34

1.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.75 NOK 402

$30.31 NOK 292

37.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.88

$2.15 NOK 20.71

5.58%

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

$36.7K NOK 353.0K

$37.8K NOK 363.9K

-2.99%

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

$42.3K NOK 407.8K

$40.6K NOK 390.8K

4.34%

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

$296 NOK 2,852

$215 NOK 2,068

37.89%

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

$31.29 NOK 301

$27.07 NOK 261

15.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 NOK 534

$38.56 NOK 371

43.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 NOK 552

$44.95 NOK 433

27.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.40 NOK 274

$53.3 NOK 513

-46.67%

Cinema Ticket

$18.01 NOK 173

$20.47 NOK 197

-12.02%

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

$274 NOK 2,644

$302 NOK 2,908

-9.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K NOK 141.4K

$3,636 NOK 35.0K

303.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 NOK 995

$87.8 NOK 846

17.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.5 NOK 621

$51.3 NOK 494

25.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 NOK 1,164

$156 NOK 1,503

-22.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 NOK 1,614

$159 NOK 1,530

5.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 NOK 16.4K

$993 NOK 9,567

71.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,441 NOK 13.9K

$884 NOK 8,516

63.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,677 NOK 25.8K

$1,765 NOK 17.0K

51.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,180 NOK 21.0K

$1,583 NOK 15.2K

37.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.5K NOK 110.9K

$6,007 NOK 57.9K

91.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,961 NOK 67.1K

$4,030 NOK 38.8K

72.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,256 NOK 41.0K

$3,474 NOK 33.5K

22.50%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kongsberg: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,700 in Oslo versus $993 in Kongsberg. 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 22% higher in Oslo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $120 in Oslo versus $71.0 in Kongsberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $505 vs $388 – making Kongsberg 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 Kongsberg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Oslo is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,804 per month in Oslo and $3,474 in Kongsberg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kongsberg, 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 $3,203 in Oslo and $2,316 in Kongsberg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 12% less in Kongsberg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Kongsberg, where all-in costs run around $2,316, than in Oslo at $3,203. In Kongsberg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Oslo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kongsberg – 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 Kongsberg. 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.