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: $3,188 in Oslo versus $2,531 in Sarpsborg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,644 in Oslo versus $3,800 in Sarpsborg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,099 in Oslo versus $5,068 in Sarpsborg.

Living in Oslo is roughly 26% more expensive than in Sarpsborg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oslo 140% above, Sarpsborg 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.21 NOK 242

$38.33 NOK 368

-34.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 NOK 1,183

$92.9 NOK 891

32.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.39 NOK 148

$18.37 NOK 176

-16.22%

Cappuccino

$4.86 NOK 46.65

$5.45 NOK 52.3

-10.83%

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

$4.22 NOK 40.51

$2.74 NOK 26.26

54.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 NOK 31.83

$2.50 NOK 23.96

32.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.23 NOK 117

$5.92 NOK 56.8

106.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.04 NOK 106

$7.85 NOK 75.3

40.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 NOK 22.31

$2.25 NOK 21.60

3.56%

White Bread (500g)

$4.18 NOK 40.14

$3.43 NOK 32.87

21.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 NOK 34.14

$3.30 NOK 31.69

7.88%

Eggs

$4.93 NOK 47.28

$4.35 NOK 41.68

13.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.33 NOK 128

$11.81 NOK 113

12.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.54 NOK 159

$14.83 NOK 142

11.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.01 NOK 297

$27.38 NOK 263

13.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 NOK 34.22

$3.53 NOK 33.89

1.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 NOK 24.16

$2.49 NOK 23.86

1.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 NOK 31.58

$3.31 NOK 31.78

-0.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 NOK 47.69

$4.40 NOK 42.21

12.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 NOK 23.45

$2.45 NOK 23.51

-0.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 NOK 25.43

$2.56 NOK 24.60

3.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 NOK 26.68

$2.76 NOK 26.52

0.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 NOK 22.25

$1.82 NOK 17.41

27.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.05 NOK 164

$15.07 NOK 145

13.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.64 NOK 179

$16.63 NOK 160

12.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 NOK 33.08

$3.28 NOK 31.48

5.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 NOK 41.58

$3.98 NOK 38.21

8.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.13 NOK 39.65

$2.51 NOK 24.12

64.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.1 NOK 758

$73.1 NOK 701

8.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.04 NOK 96.4

$10.02 NOK 96.1

0.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 NOK 13.80

$1.45 NOK 13.93

-0.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.41 NOK 407

$46.91 NOK 450

-9.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 20.88

$2.08 NOK 19.92

4.81%

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

$35.9K NOK 344.6K

$36.1K NOK 346.1K

-0.44%

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

$42.5K NOK 407.2K

$39.2K NOK 376.1K

8.27%

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

$295 NOK 2,830

$238 NOK 2,282

24.00%

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

$30.62 NOK 294

$38.73 NOK 372

-20.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 NOK 530

$55.2 NOK 529

0.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.7 NOK 534

$49.40 NOK 474

12.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.35 NOK 272

$34.87 NOK 334

-18.70%

Cinema Ticket

$18.46 NOK 177

$16.78 NOK 161

10.01%

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

$265 NOK 2,539

$288 NOK 2,761

-8.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K NOK 142.2K

$10.1K NOK 97.0K

46.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 NOK 989

$95.4 NOK 915

8.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.9 NOK 623

$52.7 NOK 506

23.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 NOK 1,160

$106 NOK 1,021

13.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 NOK 1,576

$151 NOK 1,449

8.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,676 NOK 16.1K

$1,192 NOK 11.4K

40.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,415 NOK 13.6K

$885 NOK 8,493

59.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,748 NOK 26.4K

$1,532 NOK 14.7K

79.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,158 NOK 20.7K

$1,290 NOK 12.4K

67.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.6K NOK 111.7K

$5,754 NOK 55.2K

102.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 NOK 68.0K

$4,063 NOK 39.0K

74.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,263 NOK 40.9K

$2,612 NOK 25.1K

63.21%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Sarpsborg: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,676 in Oslo and $1,192 in Sarpsborg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 63% 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: $123 in Oslo vs $93.0 in Sarpsborg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $501 vs $450 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 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 63% 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: $1,676 in Oslo versus $1,192 in Sarpsborg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,188 per month in Oslo versus $2,531 in Sarpsborg – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sarpsborg 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 $2,000. 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 26% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.