Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Skien Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Skien

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,203 in Oslo versus $2,347 in Skien.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,686 in Oslo versus $3,223 in Skien.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,170 in Oslo versus $4,098 in Skien.

Living in Oslo is roughly 36% more expensive than in Skien, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oslo 140% above, Skien 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.37 NOK 245

$28.93 NOK 279

-12.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,162

$99.7 NOK 961

20.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.96 NOK 144

$13.15 NOK 127

13.76%

Cappuccino

$5.08 NOK 48.95

$4.94 NOK 47.68

2.83%

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

$4.10 NOK 39.56

$2.52 NOK 24.31

62.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 NOK 30.77

$2.23 NOK 21.50

43.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.37 NOK 119

$9.22 NOK 88.9

34.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.03 NOK 106

$9.88 NOK 95.2

11.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 NOK 23.18

$1.94 NOK 18.68

23.71%

White Bread (500g)

$4.03 NOK 38.91

$3.41 NOK 32.91

18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.67 NOK 35.41

$3.33 NOK 32.11

10.21%

Eggs

$4.95 NOK 47.70

$4.22 NOK 40.65

17.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.66 NOK 132

$11.58 NOK 112

17.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.41 NOK 158

$14.14 NOK 136

16.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.39 NOK 303

$25.44 NOK 245

23.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 NOK 34.76

$3.75 NOK 36.15

-4.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 25.38

$2.26 NOK 21.76

16.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 NOK 33.31

$3.27 NOK 31.49

5.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.07 NOK 48.85

$4.02 NOK 38.77

26.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 NOK 24.16

$2.22 NOK 21.44

13.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 NOK 26.15

$2.12 NOK 20.42

27.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 NOK 26.76

$3.00 NOK 28.90

-7.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 NOK 23.19

$1.89 NOK 18.26

27.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.46 NOK 168

$19.24 NOK 185

-9.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.64 NOK 180

$15.31 NOK 148

21.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.41 NOK 32.92

$3.29 NOK 31.75

3.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 NOK 41.96

$3.86 NOK 37.21

12.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.18 NOK 40.34

$2.67 NOK 25.76

56.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.6 NOK 767

$43.34 NOK 418

83.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 NOK 98.3

$35.68 NOK 344

-71.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 NOK 13.57

$1.45 NOK 13.93

-2.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.75 NOK 403

$100 NOK 967

-58.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.91

$2.18 NOK 21.01

4.13%

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

$36.7K NOK 353.4K

$25.6K NOK 247.1K

43.04%

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

$42.3K NOK 408.3K

$35.6K NOK 343.7K

18.79%

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

$296 NOK 2,855

$98.7 NOK 951

200.16%

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

$31.29 NOK 302

$38.06 NOK 367

-17.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 NOK 535

$38.32 NOK 370

44.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 NOK 553

$37.33 NOK 360

53.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.40 NOK 274

$35.73 NOK 345

-20.51%

Cinema Ticket

$18.01 NOK 174

$13.95 NOK 135

29.10%

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

$274 NOK 2,647

$307 NOK 2,957

-10.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K NOK 141.6K

$10.2K NOK 98.4K

43.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 NOK 996

$39.71 NOK 383

160.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.5 NOK 622

$35.38 NOK 341

82.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 NOK 1,166

$90.2 NOK 869

34.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 NOK 1,616

$152 NOK 1,464

10.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 NOK 16.4K

$971 NOK 9,366

75.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,441 NOK 13.9K

$976 NOK 9,407

47.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,677 NOK 25.8K

$1,122 NOK 10.8K

138.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,180 NOK 21.0K

$914 NOK 8,817

138.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.5K NOK 111.0K

$3,335 NOK 32.2K

245.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,961 NOK 67.1K

$3,041 NOK 29.3K

128.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,256 NOK 41.0K

$4,036 NOK 38.9K

5.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

3.8

33.68%

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

Last update for Oslo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Skien: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,700 in Oslo and $971 in Skien. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 5% 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: $120 in Oslo vs $100 in Skien for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $505 vs $431 per month, with Skien 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 Skien: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skien is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% 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: $1,700 in Oslo versus $971 in Skien. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,203 per month in Oslo versus $2,347 in Skien – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Skien runs roughly 84% less than in Oslo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,347 in Skien versus $3,203 in Oslo, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Skien but tight or insufficient in Oslo. The gap between the two cities makes Skien the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Skien 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 Skien 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 Skien gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.