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: $3,482 in Oslo versus $2,357 in Skien.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,887 in Oslo versus $3,341 in Skien.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,292 in Oslo versus $4,326 in Skien.

Living in Oslo is roughly 48% more expensive than in Skien, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oslo 153% above, Skien 72% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.52 NOK 200

$21.53 NOK 200

-0.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$127 NOK 1,181

$106 NOK 989

19.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.83 NOK 147

$15.84 NOK 147

-0.06%

Cappuccino

$6.01 NOK 55.8

$5.47 NOK 50.8

9.87%

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

$4.17 NOK 38.71

$4.23 NOK 39.25

-1.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 NOK 31.81

$3.20 NOK 29.70

7.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.58 NOK 108

$12.01 NOK 112

-3.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.62 NOK 117

$12.63 NOK 117

-0.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.57 NOK 23.89

$2.07 NOK 19.24

24.15%

White Bread (500g)

$4.31 NOK 40.04

$3.95 NOK 36.69

9.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.59 NOK 42.61

$4.67 NOK 43.37

-1.71%

Eggs

$5.96 NOK 55.4

$5.80 NOK 53.8

2.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.97 NOK 139

$13.58 NOK 126

10.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.70 NOK 146

$15.54 NOK 144

1.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.01 NOK 279

$22.90 NOK 213

31.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 NOK 32.33

$3.40 NOK 31.61

2.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 NOK 24.82

$2.76 NOK 25.60

-3.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 NOK 33.67

$3.46 NOK 32.11

4.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 NOK 55.4

$6.05 NOK 56.2

-1.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 NOK 25.48

$2.38 NOK 22.06

15.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 NOK 27.30

$2.99 NOK 27.75

-1.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.21 NOK 29.80

$3.06 NOK 28.42

4.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 NOK 22.79

$2.45 NOK 22.78

0.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.43 NOK 180

$19.12 NOK 177

1.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 NOK 154

$16.30 NOK 151

2.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.46 NOK 32.15

$3.52 NOK 32.67

-1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 NOK 39.85

$4.44 NOK 41.20

-3.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.95 NOK 46.00

$3.47 NOK 32.20

42.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.6 NOK 776

$48.24 NOK 448

73.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.10 NOK 112

$11.14 NOK 103

8.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NOK 17.82

$1.91 NOK 17.75

0.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$71.7 NOK 666

$72.6 NOK 674

-1.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.10

$2.25 NOK 20.89

0.89%

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

$50.0K NOK 464.3K

$48.5K NOK 450.7K

3.02%

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

$45.3K NOK 420.2K

$43.9K NOK 407.8K

3.04%

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

$431 NOK 4,001

$97.8 NOK 908

340.59%

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

$32.70 NOK 304

$33.45 NOK 311

-2.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 NOK 526

$58.5 NOK 543

-2.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.6 NOK 553

$41.06 NOK 381

45.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 NOK 268

Cinema Ticket

$19.06 NOK 177

$15.30 NOK 142

24.58%

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

$251 NOK 2,335

$244 NOK 2,266

3.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K NOK 147.0K

$16.0K NOK 148.8K

-1.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 NOK 952

$63.0 NOK 585

62.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.1 NOK 576

$60.9 NOK 565

1.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 NOK 1,283

$90.7 NOK 842

52.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 NOK 1,492

$161 NOK 1,495

-0.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,079 NOK 19.3K

$1,080 NOK 10.0K

92.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 NOK 14.6K

$987 NOK 9,168

59.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,043 NOK 28.3K

$1,050 NOK 9,751

189.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,251 NOK 20.9K

$971 NOK 9,017

131.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.1K NOK 112.6K

$3,603 NOK 33.5K

236.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,880 NOK 63.9K

$3,179 NOK 29.5K

116.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,469 NOK 41.5K

$4,293 NOK 39.9K

4.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.96

4.37

13.50%

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

Last update for Oslo: August 29, 2026

Last update for Skien: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,079 in Oslo and $1,080 in Skien. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 4% 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 $106 in Skien for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $518 vs $481 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 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 4% 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: $2,079 in Oslo versus $1,080 in Skien. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,482 per month in Oslo versus $2,357 in Skien – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Skien runs roughly 73% less than in Oslo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,357 in Skien versus $3,482 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 48% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.