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: $3,167 in Oslo versus $2,561 in Sarpsborg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,598 in Oslo versus $3,771 in Sarpsborg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,029 in Oslo versus $4,982 in Sarpsborg.

Living in Oslo is roughly 24% more expensive than Sarpsborg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oslo 136% above, Sarpsborg 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.05 NOK 238

$37.65 NOK 357

-33.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,145

$92.3 NOK 876

30.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.29 NOK 145

$18.53 NOK 176

-17.49%

Cappuccino

$5.01 NOK 47.58

$5.28 NOK 50.1

-5.11%

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

$4.22 NOK 40.04

$2.68 NOK 25.40

57.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 NOK 31.62

$2.60 NOK 24.70

28.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.97 NOK 114

$5.89 NOK 55.9

103.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.28 NOK 107

$7.79 NOK 73.9

44.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 NOK 21.75

$2.26 NOK 21.41

1.33%

White Bread (500g)

$4.12 NOK 39.10

$3.29 NOK 31.18

25.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.60 NOK 34.19

$3.14 NOK 29.85

14.65%

Eggs

$5.15 NOK 48.87

$4.37 NOK 41.52

17.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.37 NOK 127

$11.93 NOK 113

12.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.54 NOK 157

$14.93 NOK 142

10.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.78 NOK 302

$28.14 NOK 267

12.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 NOK 33.66

$3.60 NOK 34.19

-1.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 NOK 24.69

$2.47 NOK 23.46

5.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 NOK 32.50

$3.32 NOK 31.54

3.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 NOK 47.21

$4.35 NOK 41.26

14.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 NOK 24.29

$2.48 NOK 23.58

3.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 NOK 25.36

$2.49 NOK 23.67

7.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 NOK 26.35

$2.78 NOK 26.37

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 NOK 22.73

$1.82 NOK 17.24

31.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.92 NOK 161

$15.31 NOK 145

10.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.07 NOK 181

$19.10 NOK 181

-0.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.46 NOK 32.83

$3.40 NOK 32.24

1.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 NOK 40.15

$3.99 NOK 37.88

6.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.16 NOK 39.48

$2.47 NOK 23.40

68.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.0 NOK 750

$74.1 NOK 703

6.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.08 NOK 95.7

$10.15 NOK 96.3

-0.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 NOK 13.76

$1.40 NOK 13.30

3.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.60 NOK 404

$45.99 NOK 437

-7.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 20.69

$2.14 NOK 20.32

1.87%

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

$36.8K NOK 349.4K

$36.1K NOK 342.9K

1.87%

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

$41.9K NOK 397.5K

$38.6K NOK 366.1K

8.59%

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

$301 NOK 2,857

$238 NOK 2,263

26.26%

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

$31.61 NOK 300

$38.10 NOK 362

-17.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 NOK 534

$56.1 NOK 532

0.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 NOK 533

$50.1 NOK 476

12.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.38 NOK 279

$36.13 NOK 343

-18.68%

Cinema Ticket

$18.20 NOK 173

$16.31 NOK 155

11.59%

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

$273 NOK 2,587

$284 NOK 2,692

-3.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K NOK 142.3K

$10.1K NOK 95.8K

48.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 NOK 966

$97.6 NOK 926

4.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.9 NOK 616

$52.8 NOK 501

22.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 NOK 1,155

$109 NOK 1,033

11.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$167 NOK 1,590

$150 NOK 1,421

11.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 NOK 16.5K

$1,209 NOK 11.5K

43.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,422 NOK 13.5K

$903 NOK 8,572

57.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,689 NOK 25.5K

$1,492 NOK 14.2K

80.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,122 NOK 20.1K

$1,319 NOK 12.5K

60.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.7K NOK 110.8K

$6,022 NOK 57.2K

93.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,097 NOK 67.4K

$4,474 NOK 42.5K

58.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,357 NOK 41.4K

$2,685 NOK 25.5K

62.24%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sarpsborg: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,738 in Oslo and $1,209 in Sarpsborg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 62% 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: $121 in Oslo vs $92.0 in Sarpsborg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $506 vs $457 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 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Oslo pays 62% more on average, 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: $1,738 in Oslo versus $1,209 in Sarpsborg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,167 per month in Oslo versus $2,561 in Sarpsborg – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sarpsborg runs roughly 7% 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 24% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.