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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,141 per month in Oslo vs $2,385 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,597 per month in Oslo vs $3,610 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,053 per month in Oslo vs $4,835 in Kongsberg, rent included.

Oslo costs about 32% more than Kongsberg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Oslo and Kongsberg sit above the global median – Oslo by 134%, Kongsberg by 78%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Oslo
Kongsberg
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.53 NOKΒ 238
$21.87 NOKΒ 204
16.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$123 NOKΒ 1,140
$70.1 NOKΒ 652
74.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.15 NOKΒ 141
$13.62 NOKΒ 127
11.23%
Cappuccino
$4.86 NOKΒ 45.28
$4.90 NOKΒ 45.64
-0.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.08 NOKΒ 38.03
$2.51 NOKΒ 23.37
62.55%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19 NOKΒ 29.71
$2.15 NOKΒ 20.02
48.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$12.02 NOKΒ 112
$9.37 NOKΒ 87.2
28.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$11.22 NOKΒ 104
$10.26 NOKΒ 95.5
9.36%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Oslo
Kongsberg
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.39 NOKΒ 22.28
$2.18 NOKΒ 20.25
9.63%
White Bread (500g)
$4.09 NOKΒ 38.06
$2.98 NOKΒ 27.74
37.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.66 NOKΒ 34.09
$3.25 NOKΒ 30.30
12.62%
Eggs
$5.03 NOKΒ 46.87
$4.61 NOKΒ 42.91
9.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.46 NOKΒ 125
$10.44 NOKΒ 97.2
28.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.04 NOKΒ 149
$11.72 NOKΒ 109
36.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$30.76 NOKΒ 286
$18.12 NOKΒ 169
69.76%
Apples (1kg)
$3.49 NOKΒ 32.54
$3.02 NOKΒ 28.11
15.56%
Banana (1kg)
$2.63 NOKΒ 24.46
$2.26 NOKΒ 21.08
16.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.35 NOKΒ 31.23
$3.28 NOKΒ 30.53
2.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.16 NOKΒ 48.06
$4.13 NOKΒ 38.46
24.94%
Potato (1kg)
$2.43 NOKΒ 22.62
$2.19 NOKΒ 20.42
10.96%
Onion (1kg)
$2.71 NOKΒ 25.26
$2.24 NOKΒ 20.88
20.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.85 NOKΒ 26.53
$2.92 NOKΒ 27.16
-2.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.34 NOKΒ 21.77
$1.82 NOKΒ 16.91
28.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$17.19 NOKΒ 160
$17.52 NOKΒ 163
-1.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.93 NOKΒ 176
$16.39 NOKΒ 153
15.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.35 NOKΒ 31.19
$3.19 NOKΒ 29.69
5.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.38 NOKΒ 40.75
$3.84 NOKΒ 35.77
14.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Oslo
Kongsberg
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.31 NOKΒ 40.08
$2.57 NOKΒ 23.96
67.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.9 NOKΒ 725
$91.2 NOKΒ 849
-14.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$10.04 NOKΒ 93.5
$10.09 NOKΒ 93.9
-0.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.38 NOKΒ 12.89
$1.45 NOKΒ 13.49
-4.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$42.24 NOKΒ 393
$30.30 NOKΒ 282
39.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.18 NOKΒ 20.29
$2.20 NOKΒ 20.45
-0.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.5K NOKΒ 339.5K
$37.2K NOKΒ 346.7K
-2.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.7K NOKΒ 397.3K
$40.0K NOKΒ 372.2K
6.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oslo
Kongsberg
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$304 NOKΒ 2,826
$217 NOKΒ 2,020
39.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.63 NOKΒ 294
$26.89 NOKΒ 250
17.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$57.0 NOKΒ 531
$38.57 NOKΒ 359
47.86%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Oslo
Kongsberg
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.8 NOKΒ 538
$45.30 NOKΒ 422
27.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.64 NOKΒ 267
$53.3 NOKΒ 496
-46.24%
Cinema Ticket
$18.01 NOKΒ 168
$20.23 NOKΒ 188
-10.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Oslo
Kongsberg
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$274 NOKΒ 2,548
$306 NOKΒ 2,853
-10.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.5K NOKΒ 135.4K
$3,663 NOKΒ 34.1K
297.09%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Oslo
Kongsberg
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$106 NOKΒ 985
$86.1 NOKΒ 801
22.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$65.4 NOKΒ 609
$52.1 NOKΒ 485
25.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$124 NOKΒ 1,154
$159 NOKΒ 1,482
-22.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$168 NOKΒ 1,567
$164 NOKΒ 1,525
2.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Oslo
Kongsberg
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,671 NOKΒ 15.6K
$1,003 NOKΒ 9,333
66.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,446 NOKΒ 13.5K
$902 NOKΒ 8,395
60.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,749 NOKΒ 25.6K
$1,723 NOKΒ 16.0K
59.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,165 NOKΒ 20.2K
$1,539 NOKΒ 14.3K
40.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$12.0K NOKΒ 111.9K
$6,208 NOKΒ 57.8K
93.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,295 NOKΒ 67.9K
$4,384 NOKΒ 40.8K
66.39%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Oslo
Kongsberg
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,411 NOKΒ 41.1K
$3,604 NOKΒ 33.5K
22.40%
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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kongsberg: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,671 in Oslo versus $1,003 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 $122 in Oslo versus $70.0 in Kongsberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $500 vs $391 – 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
Is Kongsberg cheaper than Oslo?
Yes – Oslo is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,711 per month in Oslo and $3,577 in Kongsberg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Oslo vs Kongsberg?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,141 in Oslo and $2,385 in Kongsberg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 17% less in Kongsberg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for Oslo or Kongsberg?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Kongsberg, where all-in costs run around $2,385, than in Oslo at $3,141. In Kongsberg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Oslo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Oslo or Kongsberg more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Oslo or Kongsberg?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

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