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: $3,141 in Oslo versus $2,282 in Skien.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,597 in Oslo versus $3,202 in Skien.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,053 in Oslo versus $4,122 in Skien.

Living in Oslo is roughly 38% more expensive than Skien, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oslo 134% above, Skien 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.53 NOK 237

$28.96 NOK 269

-11.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 NOK 1,138

$101 NOK 935

21.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.15 NOK 141

$13.26 NOK 123

14.25%

Cappuccino

$4.86 NOK 45.18

$4.88 NOK 45.35

-0.41%

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

$4.08 NOK 37.95

$2.47 NOK 22.94

65.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 NOK 29.65

$2.19 NOK 20.38

45.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.02 NOK 112

$9.05 NOK 84.0

32.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.22 NOK 104

$9.67 NOK 89.8

16.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 NOK 22.24

$2.02 NOK 18.73

18.32%

White Bread (500g)

$4.09 NOK 37.98

$3.30 NOK 30.67

23.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 NOK 34.02

$3.15 NOK 29.30

16.19%

Eggs

$5.03 NOK 46.77

$4.20 NOK 39.01

19.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.46 NOK 125

$11.36 NOK 106

18.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.04 NOK 149

$14.22 NOK 132

12.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.76 NOK 286

$25.44 NOK 236

20.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 NOK 32.47

$3.76 NOK 34.89

-7.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 24.41

$2.32 NOK 21.55

13.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 NOK 31.16

$3.30 NOK 30.63

1.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.16 NOK 47.96

$4.02 NOK 37.36

28.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 NOK 22.58

$2.29 NOK 21.26

6.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 NOK 25.21

$2.16 NOK 20.07

25.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 NOK 26.48

$2.94 NOK 27.36

-3.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 NOK 21.73

$1.89 NOK 17.55

23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.19 NOK 160

$18.86 NOK 175

-8.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.93 NOK 176

$15.87 NOK 147

19.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 NOK 31.12

$3.33 NOK 30.97

0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 NOK 40.67

$3.95 NOK 36.67

10.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.31 NOK 40.00

$2.69 NOK 25.02

60.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 NOK 723

$44.33 NOK 412

75.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.04 NOK 93.3

$36.08 NOK 335

-72.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 NOK 12.86

$1.46 NOK 13.57

-5.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.24 NOK 392

$99.7 NOK 926

-57.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 20.24

$2.09 NOK 19.41

4.31%

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

$36.5K NOK 338.8K

$25.7K NOK 238.9K

41.80%

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

$42.7K NOK 396.5K

$35.8K NOK 332.2K

19.34%

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

$304 NOK 2,821

$96.6 NOK 897

214.26%

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

$31.63 NOK 294

$37.34 NOK 347

-15.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 NOK 530

$38.51 NOK 358

48.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 NOK 537

$38.00 NOK 353

52.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.64 NOK 266

$34.76 NOK 323

-17.61%

Cinema Ticket

$18.01 NOK 167

$14.39 NOK 134

25.16%

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

$274 NOK 2,543

$312 NOK 2,900

-12.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K NOK 135.1K

$10.1K NOK 93.9K

43.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 NOK 983

$40.85 NOK 380

158.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.4 NOK 608

$35.21 NOK 327

85.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 NOK 1,152

$92.8 NOK 862

33.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 NOK 1,564

$153 NOK 1,421

10.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 NOK 15.5K

$961 NOK 8,931

73.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,446 NOK 13.4K

$1,000 NOK 9,291

44.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,749 NOK 25.5K

$1,101 NOK 10.2K

149.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,165 NOK 20.1K

$902 NOK 8,381

139.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.0K NOK 111.7K

$3,561 NOK 33.1K

237.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,295 NOK 67.8K

$3,271 NOK 30.4K

123.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,411 NOK 41.0K

$4,269 NOK 39.7K

3.32%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Skien: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,671 in Oslo and $961 in Skien. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 3% 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: $122 in Oslo vs $101 in Skien for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $500 vs $432 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 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Oslo pays 3% 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: $1,671 in Oslo versus $961 in Skien. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,141 per month in Oslo versus $2,282 in Skien – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Skien runs roughly 76% less than in Oslo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,282 in Skien versus $3,141 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 38% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.