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: $3,393 in Oslo versus $2,802 in Sarpsborg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,964 in Oslo versus $4,162 in Sarpsborg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,535 in Oslo versus $5,521 in Sarpsborg.

Living in Oslo is roughly 21% more expensive than in Sarpsborg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oslo 148% above, Sarpsborg 105% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.87 NOK 206

$40.12 NOK 378

-45.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$127 NOK 1,200

$107 NOK 1,010

18.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.35 NOK 154

$19.57 NOK 184

-16.45%

Cappuccino

$6.18 NOK 58.2

$5.76 NOK 54.2

7.29%

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

$4.10 NOK 38.67

$2.90 NOK 27.37

41.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 NOK 32.51

$2.65 NOK 25.01

30.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.64 NOK 110

$8.82 NOK 83.2

31.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.70 NOK 120

$11.73 NOK 111

8.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.65 NOK 24.98

$2.36 NOK 22.24

12.29%

White Bread (500g)

$4.12 NOK 38.85

$3.30 NOK 31.09

24.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.76 NOK 44.87

$3.76 NOK 35.40

26.60%

Eggs

$6.14 NOK 57.9

$5.08 NOK 47.90

20.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 NOK 138

$12.87 NOK 121

13.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.39 NOK 145

$15.59 NOK 147

-1.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$29.69 NOK 280

$29.86 NOK 281

-0.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 NOK 32.45

$3.49 NOK 32.90

-1.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 NOK 25.25

$2.78 NOK 26.16

-3.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.54 NOK 33.37

$3.60 NOK 33.90

-1.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.06 NOK 57.1

$4.52 NOK 42.58

34.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 NOK 25.66

$2.60 NOK 24.51

4.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 NOK 27.18

$2.98 NOK 28.08

-3.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.23 NOK 30.43

$3.11 NOK 29.30

3.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 NOK 23.99

$2.33 NOK 21.97

9.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.59 NOK 185

$19.68 NOK 185

-0.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 NOK 157

$17.86 NOK 168

-6.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.48 NOK 32.75

$3.61 NOK 34.03

-3.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 NOK 41.35

$4.32 NOK 40.74

1.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.01 NOK 47.22

$2.70 NOK 25.46

85.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 NOK 800

$77.7 NOK 732

9.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.33 NOK 116

$10.98 NOK 104

12.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 NOK 17.59

$1.95 NOK 18.39

-4.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$70.1 NOK 661

$73.9 NOK 696

-5.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.39

$2.18 NOK 20.53

4.13%

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

$50.2K NOK 473.1K

$45.0K NOK 423.6K

11.68%

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

$45.5K NOK 428.8K

$40.2K NOK 378.5K

13.28%

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

$425 NOK 4,008

$273 NOK 2,571

55.92%

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

$33.72 NOK 318

$30.00 NOK 283

12.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 NOK 542

$59.3 NOK 559

-3.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 NOK 580

$51.4 NOK 484

19.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.20 NOK 275

$32.10 NOK 302

-9.03%

Cinema Ticket

$19.46 NOK 183

$16.91 NOK 159

15.08%

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

$244 NOK 2,302

$253 NOK 2,384

-3.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K NOK 148.0K

$13.2K NOK 124.2K

19.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 NOK 976

$97.1 NOK 915

6.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 NOK 576

$52.2 NOK 492

17.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 NOK 1,273

$113 NOK 1,065

19.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 NOK 1,492

$182 NOK 1,711

-12.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 NOK 19.1K

$1,257 NOK 11.8K

61.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NOK 14.8K

$1,038 NOK 9,785

51.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,062 NOK 28.9K

$1,609 NOK 15.2K

90.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,302 NOK 21.7K

$1,388 NOK 13.1K

65.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.0K NOK 112.8K

$6,265 NOK 59.0K

91.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,933 NOK 65.3K

$4,159 NOK 39.2K

66.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,691 NOK 44.2K

$2,721 NOK 25.6K

72.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.98

5.18

-3.86%

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

Last update for Oslo: September 13, 2026

Last update for Sarpsborg: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,026 in Oslo and $1,257 in Sarpsborg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 72% 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 $107 in Sarpsborg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $516 vs $486 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 72% 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 $1,257 in Sarpsborg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,393 per month in Oslo versus $2,802 in Sarpsborg – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sarpsborg runs roughly 9% 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 21% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.