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: $3,200 in Oslo versus $2,542 in Tonsberg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,586 in Oslo versus $3,649 in Tonsberg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,972 in Oslo versus $4,756 in Tonsberg.

Living in Oslo is roughly 26% more expensive than Tonsberg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oslo 139% above, Tonsberg 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.54 NOK 238

$25.74 NOK 239

-0.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,118

$101 NOK 940

18.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.36 NOK 143

$13.93 NOK 130

10.27%

Cappuccino

$5.05 NOK 46.98

$4.88 NOK 45.42

3.48%

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

$4.02 NOK 37.34

$5.42 NOK 50.4

-25.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 NOK 30.59

$4.99 NOK 46.45

-34.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.26 NOK 114

$10.14 NOK 94.3

20.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.98 NOK 102

$9.39 NOK 87.4

16.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 NOK 22.30

$2.28 NOK 21.18

5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 NOK 38.21

$3.26 NOK 30.33

26.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.49 NOK 32.42

$3.30 NOK 30.71

5.76%

Eggs

$5.17 NOK 48.05

$4.27 NOK 39.74

21.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.55 NOK 126

$12.26 NOK 114

10.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.39 NOK 152

$14.50 NOK 135

13.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.41 NOK 292

$28.42 NOK 264

10.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 NOK 32.90

$3.61 NOK 33.55

-1.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 NOK 23.23

$2.45 NOK 22.83

2.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 NOK 32.11

$3.28 NOK 30.46

5.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.95 NOK 46.01

$4.43 NOK 41.20

11.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 NOK 22.98

$2.39 NOK 22.21

3.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 NOK 24.36

$2.55 NOK 23.69

2.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 NOK 26.47

$2.88 NOK 26.75

-1.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 NOK 22.28

$1.86 NOK 17.28

29.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.01 NOK 158

$15.24 NOK 142

11.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.81 NOK 175

$16.36 NOK 152

14.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.47 NOK 32.31

$3.35 NOK 31.15

3.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 NOK 40.30

$4.16 NOK 38.65

4.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.20 NOK 39.02

$4.29 NOK 39.88

-2.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.8 NOK 724

$73.0 NOK 679

6.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 NOK 94.9

$10.28 NOK 95.6

-0.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 NOK 12.82

$1.40 NOK 12.97

-1.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.32 NOK 394

$47.03 NOK 437

-10.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 NOK 20.84

$1.98 NOK 18.41

13.13%

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

$36.1K NOK 335.5K

$35.1K NOK 326.8K

2.66%

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

$42.8K NOK 397.7K

$38.4K NOK 356.7K

11.48%

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

$296 NOK 2,748

$239 NOK 2,226

23.47%

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

$31.62 NOK 294

$38.05 NOK 354

-16.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 NOK 522

$55.8 NOK 519

0.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 NOK 519

$49.84 NOK 464

11.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.63 NOK 266

$35.95 NOK 334

-20.36%

Cinema Ticket

$17.98 NOK 167

$16.68 NOK 155

7.79%

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

$269 NOK 2,503

$286 NOK 2,659

-5.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K NOK 135.8K

$9,999 NOK 93.0K

45.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 NOK 947

$94.9 NOK 882

7.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.0 NOK 613

$52.7 NOK 490

25.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 NOK 1,157

$108 NOK 1,005

15.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 NOK 1,511

$152 NOK 1,413

6.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,727 NOK 16.1K

$1,210 NOK 11.3K

42.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,458 NOK 13.6K

$924 NOK 8,595

57.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,710 NOK 25.2K

$1,426 NOK 13.3K

90.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,172 NOK 20.2K

$1,224 NOK 11.4K

77.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.3K NOK 105.1K

$5,488 NOK 51.0K

105.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,682 NOK 71.4K

$4,639 NOK 43.1K

65.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,467 NOK 41.5K

$4,643 NOK 43.2K

-3.79%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Tonsberg: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,727 in Oslo and $1,210 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 $101 in Tonsberg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $504 vs $452 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 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Tonsberg earns 4% less. 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: $1,727 in Oslo versus $1,210 in Tonsberg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,200 per month in Oslo versus $2,542 in Tonsberg – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tonsberg 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 $2,500. 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 26% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.