Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and KongsbergCost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Kongsberg
Monthly Cost of Living
πA single person spends $3,141 per month in Oslo vs $2,385 in Kongsberg, rent included.
πA couple spends around $4,597 per month in Oslo vs $3,610 in Kongsberg, rent included.
πA family of three spends $6,053 per month in Oslo vs $4,835 in Kongsberg, rent included.
πOslo costs about 32% more than Kongsberg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
πBoth Oslo and Kongsberg sit above the global median β Oslo by 134%, Kongsberg by 78%.
Currency
π½ Eating Out
Oslo
Kongsberg
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.53NOKΒ 238
$21.87NOKΒ 204
16.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$123NOKΒ 1,140
$70.1NOKΒ 652
74.85%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$15.15NOKΒ 141
$13.62NOKΒ 127
11.23%
Cappuccino
$4.86NOKΒ 45.28
$4.90NOKΒ 45.64
-0.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.08NOKΒ 38.03
$2.51NOKΒ 23.37
62.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19NOKΒ 29.71
$2.15NOKΒ 20.02
48.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$12.02NOKΒ 112
$9.37NOKΒ 87.2
28.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$11.22NOKΒ 104
$10.26NOKΒ 95.5
9.36%
π Groceries & Markets
Oslo
Kongsberg
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.39NOKΒ 22.28
$2.18NOKΒ 20.25
9.63%
White Bread(500g)
$4.09NOKΒ 38.06
$2.98NOKΒ 27.74
37.25%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.66NOKΒ 34.09
$3.25NOKΒ 30.30
12.62%
Eggs
$5.03NOKΒ 46.87
$4.61NOKΒ 42.91
9.11%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.46NOKΒ 125
$10.44NOKΒ 97.2
28.93%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$16.04NOKΒ 149
$11.72NOKΒ 109
36.86%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$30.76NOKΒ 286
$18.12NOKΒ 169
69.76%
Apples(1kg)
$3.49NOKΒ 32.54
$3.02NOKΒ 28.11
15.56%
Banana(1kg)
$2.63NOKΒ 24.46
$2.26NOKΒ 21.08
16.37%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.35NOKΒ 31.23
$3.28NOKΒ 30.53
2.13%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.16NOKΒ 48.06
$4.13NOKΒ 38.46
24.94%
Potato(1kg)
$2.43NOKΒ 22.62
$2.19NOKΒ 20.42
10.96%
Onion(1kg)
$2.71NOKΒ 25.26
$2.24NOKΒ 20.88
20.98%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.85NOKΒ 26.53
$2.92NOKΒ 27.16
-2.40%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.34NOKΒ 21.77
$1.82NOKΒ 16.91
28.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$17.19NOKΒ 160
$17.52NOKΒ 163
-1.88%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.93NOKΒ 176
$16.39NOKΒ 153
15.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.35NOKΒ 31.19
$3.19NOKΒ 29.69
5.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.38NOKΒ 40.75
$3.84NOKΒ 35.77
14.06%
π Getting Around
Oslo
Kongsberg
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.31NOKΒ 40.08
$2.57NOKΒ 23.96
67.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$77.9NOKΒ 725
$91.2NOKΒ 849
-14.66%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$10.04NOKΒ 93.5
$10.09NOKΒ 93.9
-0.50%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.38NOKΒ 12.89
$1.45NOKΒ 13.49
-4.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$42.24NOKΒ 393
$30.30NOKΒ 282
39.41%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.18NOKΒ 20.29
$2.20NOKΒ 20.45
-0.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.5KNOKΒ 339.5K
$37.2KNOKΒ 346.7K
-2.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.7KNOKΒ 397.3K
$40.0KNOKΒ 372.2K
6.74%
π§Ύ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oslo
Kongsberg
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$304NOKΒ 2,826
$217NOKΒ 2,020
39.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.63NOKΒ 294
$26.89NOKΒ 250
17.63%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$57.0NOKΒ 531
$38.57NOKΒ 359
47.86%
π Sport & Entertainment
Oslo
Kongsberg
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$57.8NOKΒ 538
$45.30NOKΒ 422
27.51%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.64NOKΒ 267
$53.3NOKΒ 496
-46.24%
Cinema Ticket
$18.01NOKΒ 168
$20.23NOKΒ 188
-10.97%
π§Έ Childcare & Education
Oslo
Kongsberg
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$274NOKΒ 2,548
$306NOKΒ 2,853
-10.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.5KNOKΒ 135.4K
$3,663NOKΒ 34.1K
297.09%
ππ Clothing & Footwear
Oslo
Kongsberg
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$106NOKΒ 985
$86.1NOKΒ 801
22.90%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$65.4NOKΒ 609
$52.1NOKΒ 485
25.57%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$124NOKΒ 1,154
$159NOKΒ 1,482
-22.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$168NOKΒ 1,567
$164NOKΒ 1,525
2.80%
π Accommodation & Living
Oslo
Kongsberg
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,671NOKΒ 15.6K
$1,003NOKΒ 9,333
66.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,446NOKΒ 13.5K
$902NOKΒ 8,395
60.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,749NOKΒ 25.6K
$1,723NOKΒ 16.0K
59.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,165NOKΒ 20.2K
$1,539NOKΒ 14.3K
40.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$12.0KNOKΒ 111.9K
$6,208NOKΒ 57.8K
93.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$7,295NOKΒ 67.9K
$4,384NOKΒ 40.8K
66.39%
π΅ Salaries & Financials
Oslo
Kongsberg
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,411NOKΒ 41.1K
$3,604NOKΒ 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 β minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Oslo: May 31, 2026
Last update for Kongsberg: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
π 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.
π°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.
πA mid-range dinner for two costs $122 in Oslo versus $70.0 in Kongsberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $500 vs $391 β 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 β 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 β 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 β 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 β 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 β 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.