Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Mandal Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Mandal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,203 in Oslo versus $2,418 in Mandal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,686 in Oslo versus $3,777 in Mandal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,170 in Oslo versus $5,136 in Mandal.

Living in Oslo is roughly 32% more expensive than in Mandal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oslo 140% above, Mandal 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.37 NOK 244

$25.65 NOK 247

-1.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,160

$122 NOK 1,176

-1.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.96 NOK 144

$15.34 NOK 148

-2.48%

Cappuccino

$5.08 NOK 48.89

$5.21 NOK 50.2

-2.50%

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

$4.10 NOK 39.51

$4.03 NOK 38.80

1.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 NOK 30.74

$3.39 NOK 32.70

-5.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.37 NOK 119

$11.32 NOK 109

9.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.03 NOK 106

$10.02 NOK 96.5

10.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 NOK 23.15

$2.12 NOK 20.42

13.21%

White Bread (500g)

$4.03 NOK 38.86

$3.00 NOK 28.92

34.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.67 NOK 35.37

$4.52 NOK 43.49

-18.81%

Eggs

$4.95 NOK 47.65

$2.97 NOK 28.62

66.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.66 NOK 132

$13.25 NOK 128

3.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.41 NOK 158

$16.19 NOK 156

1.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.39 NOK 302

$27.05 NOK 261

16.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 NOK 34.72

$3.44 NOK 33.15

4.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 25.35

$2.56 NOK 24.66

2.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 NOK 33.27

$3.12 NOK 30.05

10.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.07 NOK 48.80

$4.79 NOK 46.14

5.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 NOK 24.14

$2.06 NOK 19.89

21.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 NOK 26.12

$3.06 NOK 29.49

-11.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 NOK 26.73

$1.53 NOK 14.75

81.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 NOK 23.17

$1.77 NOK 17.05

36.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.46 NOK 168

$15.41 NOK 148

13.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.64 NOK 180

$17.86 NOK 172

4.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.41 NOK 32.88

$2.98 NOK 28.72

14.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 NOK 41.91

$2.83 NOK 27.27

53.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.18 NOK 40.29

$4.34 NOK 41.79

-3.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.6 NOK 766

$73.8 NOK 710

7.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 NOK 98.2

$5.51 NOK 53.0

85.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 NOK 13.56

$1.01 NOK 9.71

39.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.75 NOK 402

$99.6 NOK 960

-58.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.88

$2.15 NOK 20.75

5.58%

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

$36.7K NOK 353.0K

$34.3K NOK 330.5K

6.82%

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

$42.3K NOK 407.8K

$33.4K NOK 321.3K

26.92%

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

$296 NOK 2,852

$193 NOK 1,863

53.13%

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

$31.29 NOK 301

$33.83 NOK 326

-7.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 NOK 534

$83.2 NOK 802

-33.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 NOK 552

$48.80 NOK 470

17.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.40 NOK 274

$35.86 NOK 345

-20.80%

Cinema Ticket

$18.01 NOK 173

$19.04 NOK 183

-5.41%

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

$274 NOK 2,644

$319 NOK 3,072

-13.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K NOK 141.4K

$12.8K NOK 123.3K

14.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 NOK 995

$120 NOK 1,156

-13.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.5 NOK 621

$59.7 NOK 575

8.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 NOK 1,164

$103 NOK 995

16.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 NOK 1,614

$159 NOK 1,536

5.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 NOK 16.4K

$1,221 NOK 11.8K

39.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,441 NOK 13.9K

$882 NOK 8,500

63.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,677 NOK 25.8K

$1,839 NOK 17.7K

45.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,180 NOK 21.0K

$1,525 NOK 14.7K

42.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.5K NOK 110.9K

$6,630 NOK 63.9K

73.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,961 NOK 67.1K

$3,911 NOK 37.7K

77.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,256 NOK 41.0K

$4,139 NOK 39.9K

2.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

4.51

12.64%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Oslo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mandal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,700 in Oslo and $1,221 in Mandal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 3% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $120 in Oslo vs $122 in Mandal. Groceries flip the comparison at $505 vs $448, with Mandal cheaper for home cooking.

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 Mandal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandal is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 3% higher in Oslo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,700 in Oslo versus $1,221 in Mandal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,203 per month in Oslo versus $2,418 in Mandal – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mandal runs roughly 8% less than in Oslo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Mandal is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Mandal 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 Mandal 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 Mandal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.