Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Tonsberg Cost of Living Comparison Between Oslo and Tonsberg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,214 in Oslo versus $2,478 in Tonsberg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,677 in Oslo versus $3,681 in Tonsberg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,139 in Oslo versus $4,885 in Tonsberg.

Living in Oslo is roughly 30% more expensive than in Tonsberg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oslo 141% above, Tonsberg 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.14 NOK 241

$25.36 NOK 243

-0.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,146

$102 NOK 980

17.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.42 NOK 148

$13.89 NOK 133

11.02%

Cappuccino

$4.90 NOK 46.95

$4.79 NOK 45.97

2.30%

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

$4.10 NOK 39.32

$5.15 NOK 49.42

-20.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 NOK 32.09

$4.94 NOK 47.35

-32.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.14 NOK 116

$9.96 NOK 95.5

21.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.99 NOK 105

$9.66 NOK 92.6

13.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 NOK 22.67

$2.21 NOK 21.15

6.79%

White Bread (500g)

$4.18 NOK 40.06

$3.39 NOK 32.51

23.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.62 NOK 34.76

$3.20 NOK 30.70

13.12%

Eggs

$5.14 NOK 49.29

$4.33 NOK 41.49

18.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 NOK 127

$11.95 NOK 115

10.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.96 NOK 153

$14.90 NOK 143

7.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.50 NOK 302

$27.98 NOK 268

12.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 NOK 34.20

$3.52 NOK 33.80

1.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 NOK 25.05

$2.41 NOK 23.09

8.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 NOK 33.02

$3.25 NOK 31.20

5.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.05 NOK 48.41

$4.41 NOK 42.26

14.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 NOK 23.68

$2.45 NOK 23.46

0.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 NOK 25.43

$2.47 NOK 23.66

7.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 NOK 27.71

$2.74 NOK 26.24

5.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 NOK 22.57

$1.91 NOK 18.33

23.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.03 NOK 163

$14.95 NOK 143

13.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.41 NOK 177

$19.33 NOK 185

-4.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.37 NOK 32.30

$3.41 NOK 32.66

-1.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 NOK 42.11

$4.13 NOK 39.62

6.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.14 NOK 39.72

$4.18 NOK 40.06

-0.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.5 NOK 753

$72.3 NOK 694

8.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.09 NOK 96.7

$10.16 NOK 97.5

-0.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 NOK 13.73

$1.40 NOK 13.42

2.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.77 NOK 401

$47.45 NOK 455

-11.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.28 NOK 21.83

$2.10 NOK 20.14

8.57%

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

$36.7K NOK 351.6K

$34.8K NOK 334.2K

5.21%

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

$42.9K NOK 411.8K

$38.7K NOK 371.6K

10.84%

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

$296 NOK 2,837

$237 NOK 2,272

24.85%

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

$30.61 NOK 294

$37.87 NOK 363

-19.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.4 NOK 541

$54.3 NOK 521

3.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 NOK 536

$49.98 NOK 479

11.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.25 NOK 281

$35.76 NOK 343

-18.20%

Cinema Ticket

$18.50 NOK 177

$16.26 NOK 156

13.78%

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

$265 NOK 2,544

$285 NOK 2,734

-6.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K NOK 141.8K

$10.0K NOK 96.1K

47.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 NOK 980

$96.0 NOK 921

6.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.7 NOK 621

$51.9 NOK 498

24.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 NOK 1,199

$110 NOK 1,052

13.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 NOK 1,574

$152 NOK 1,462

7.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,728 NOK 16.6K

$1,226 NOK 11.8K

40.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,465 NOK 14.0K

$935 NOK 8,966

56.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,670 NOK 25.6K

$1,438 NOK 13.8K

85.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 NOK 20.9K

$1,203 NOK 11.5K

81.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.7K NOK 112.1K

$5,119 NOK 49.1K

128.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,104 NOK 68.1K

$4,108 NOK 39.4K

72.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,224 NOK 40.5K

$4,407 NOK 42.3K

-4.13%

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: July 19, 2026

Last update for Tonsberg: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,728 in Oslo and $1,226 in Tonsberg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tonsberg pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $120 in Oslo vs $102 in Tonsberg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $502 vs $458 per month, with Tonsberg 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 Tonsberg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tonsberg is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Tonsberg. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,728 in Oslo versus $1,226 in Tonsberg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,214 per month in Oslo versus $2,478 in Tonsberg – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tonsberg 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 $2,500. Tonsberg is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Tonsberg 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 Tonsberg 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 Tonsberg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.