Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Sarpsborg Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Sarpsborg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,200 in Oslo versus $2,496 in Sarpsborg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,586 in Oslo versus $3,763 in Sarpsborg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,972 in Oslo versus $5,030 in Sarpsborg.

Living in Oslo is roughly 28% more expensive than Sarpsborg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oslo 139% above, Sarpsborg 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.54 NOK 238

$38.11 NOK 354

-32.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,118

$95.2 NOK 885

26.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.36 NOK 143

$18.27 NOK 170

-15.93%

Cappuccino

$5.05 NOK 46.98

$5.25 NOK 48.85

-3.81%

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

$4.02 NOK 37.34

$2.74 NOK 25.44

46.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 NOK 30.59

$2.56 NOK 23.79

28.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.26 NOK 114

$6.24 NOK 58.1

96.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.98 NOK 102

$7.89 NOK 73.4

39.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 NOK 22.30

$2.22 NOK 20.61

8.11%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 NOK 38.21

$3.28 NOK 30.50

25.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.49 NOK 32.42

$3.32 NOK 30.86

5.12%

Eggs

$5.17 NOK 48.05

$4.43 NOK 41.21

16.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.55 NOK 126

$12.12 NOK 113

11.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.39 NOK 152

$14.90 NOK 139

10.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.41 NOK 292

$28.08 NOK 261

11.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 NOK 32.90

$3.48 NOK 32.38

1.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 NOK 23.23

$2.48 NOK 23.07

0.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 NOK 32.11

$3.41 NOK 31.71

1.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.95 NOK 46.01

$4.38 NOK 40.76

13.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 NOK 22.98

$2.45 NOK 22.76

0.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 NOK 24.36

$2.54 NOK 23.62

3.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 NOK 26.47

$2.75 NOK 25.59

3.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 NOK 22.28

$1.92 NOK 17.86

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.01 NOK 158

$14.92 NOK 139

14.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.81 NOK 175

$19.21 NOK 179

-2.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.47 NOK 32.31

$3.34 NOK 31.03

3.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 NOK 40.30

$4.08 NOK 37.91

6.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.20 NOK 39.02

$2.49 NOK 23.17

68.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.8 NOK 724

$74.4 NOK 691

4.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 NOK 94.9

$10.19 NOK 94.8

0.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 NOK 12.82

$1.39 NOK 12.92

-0.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.32 NOK 394

$47.55 NOK 442

-11.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 NOK 20.84

$2.03 NOK 18.89

10.34%

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

$36.1K NOK 335.5K

$35.1K NOK 326.0K

2.91%

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

$42.8K NOK 397.7K

$38.2K NOK 354.9K

12.05%

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

$296 NOK 2,748

$240 NOK 2,232

23.11%

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

$31.62 NOK 294

$37.83 NOK 352

-16.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 NOK 522

$56.0 NOK 521

0.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 NOK 519

$49.58 NOK 461

12.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.63 NOK 266

$36.07 NOK 335

-20.63%

Cinema Ticket

$17.98 NOK 167

$16.71 NOK 155

7.60%

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

$269 NOK 2,503

$279 NOK 2,593

-3.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K NOK 135.8K

$10.1K NOK 93.6K

45.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 NOK 947

$96.6 NOK 898

5.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.0 NOK 613

$51.3 NOK 477

28.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 NOK 1,157

$108 NOK 1,003

15.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 NOK 1,511

$154 NOK 1,437

5.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,727 NOK 16.1K

$1,222 NOK 11.4K

41.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,458 NOK 13.6K

$904 NOK 8,404

61.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,710 NOK 25.2K

$1,514 NOK 14.1K

79.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,172 NOK 20.2K

$1,342 NOK 12.5K

61.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.3K NOK 105.1K

$6,929 NOK 64.4K

63.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,682 NOK 71.4K

$4,477 NOK 41.6K

71.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,467 NOK 41.5K

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Sarpsborg: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,727 in Oslo and $1,222 in Sarpsborg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $120 in Oslo vs $95 in Sarpsborg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $504 vs $459 per month, with Sarpsborg 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 Sarpsborg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sarpsborg is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $4,800 in Oslo and $3,744 in Sarpsborg to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,727 in Oslo versus $1,222 in Sarpsborg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,200 per month in Oslo versus $2,496 in Sarpsborg – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sarpsborg runs roughly 5% 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 $2,000. Sarpsborg is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Sarpsborg 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 Sarpsborg 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 Sarpsborg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.