Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Molde Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Molde

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,393 in Oslo versus $2,442 in Molde.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,964 in Oslo versus $3,697 in Molde.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,535 in Oslo versus $4,952 in Molde.

Living in Oslo is roughly 39% more expensive than in Molde, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oslo 148% above, Molde 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.87 NOK 206

$30.59 NOK 288

-28.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$127 NOK 1,200

$85.8 NOK 808

48.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.35 NOK 154

$15.94 NOK 150

2.57%

Cappuccino

$6.18 NOK 58.2

$5.17 NOK 48.70

19.54%

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

$4.10 NOK 38.66

$3.29 NOK 31.01

24.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 NOK 32.50

$3.58 NOK 33.70

-3.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.64 NOK 110

$11.67 NOK 110

-0.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.70 NOK 120

$10.52 NOK 99.2

20.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.65 NOK 24.97

$3.13 NOK 29.46

-15.34%

White Bread (500g)

$4.12 NOK 38.84

$4.23 NOK 39.85

-2.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.76 NOK 44.86

$4.11 NOK 38.69

15.82%

Eggs

$6.14 NOK 57.9

$5.24 NOK 49.35

17.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 NOK 138

$18.57 NOK 175

-21.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.39 NOK 145

$16.04 NOK 151

-4.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$29.69 NOK 280

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 NOK 32.44

$3.48 NOK 32.76

-1.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 NOK 25.24

$3.28 NOK 30.89

-18.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.54 NOK 33.36

$3.08 NOK 28.97

14.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.06 NOK 57.1

$4.93 NOK 46.41

22.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 NOK 25.65

$2.63 NOK 24.80

3.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 NOK 27.18

$2.43 NOK 22.88

18.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.23 NOK 30.42

$2.77 NOK 26.05

16.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 NOK 23.98

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.59 NOK 185

$20.59 NOK 194

-4.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 NOK 157

$23.72 NOK 223

-29.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.48 NOK 32.74

$4.17 NOK 39.25

-16.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 NOK 41.34

$8.19 NOK 77.1

-46.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.01 NOK 47.21

$5.20 NOK 48.98

-3.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 NOK 800

$84.8 NOK 798

0.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.33 NOK 116

$16.35 NOK 154

-24.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 NOK 17.58

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$70.1 NOK 661

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.39

$2.31 NOK 21.75

-1.73%

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

$50.2K NOK 473.0K

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

$45.5K NOK 428.7K

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

$425 NOK 4,007

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

$33.72 NOK 318

$21.65 NOK 204

55.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 NOK 541

$84.4 NOK 795

-31.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 NOK 580

$59.7 NOK 563

3.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.20 NOK 275

Cinema Ticket

$19.46 NOK 183

$18.95 NOK 178

2.69%

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

$244 NOK 2,301

$214 NOK 2,013

14.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K NOK 148.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 NOK 976

$113 NOK 1,060

-7.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 NOK 576

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 NOK 1,273

$139 NOK 1,305

-2.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 NOK 1,492

$162 NOK 1,529

-2.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 NOK 19.1K

$1,288 NOK 12.1K

57.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NOK 14.8K

$981 NOK 9,241

59.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,062 NOK 28.8K

$1,899 NOK 17.9K

61.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,302 NOK 21.7K

$1,678 NOK 15.8K

37.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.0K NOK 112.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,933 NOK 65.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,691 NOK 44.2K

$4,356 NOK 41.0K

7.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.98

4.8

3.75%

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

Last update for Oslo: September 13, 2026

Last update for Molde: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,026 in Oslo and $1,288 in Molde. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 8% 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: $127 in Oslo vs $86.0 in Molde for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $516 vs $429 per month, with Molde 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 Molde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Molde is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 8% 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: $2,026 in Oslo versus $1,288 in Molde. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $244 in Oslo versus $214 in Molde. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Oslo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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

For families, Molde 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 Molde 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 Molde gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.