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: $3,141 in Oslo versus $2,498 in Tonsberg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,597 in Oslo versus $3,682 in Tonsberg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,053 in Oslo versus $4,866 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 134% above, Tonsberg 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.53 NOK 241

$25.57 NOK 242

-0.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 NOK 1,158

$101 NOK 955

21.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.15 NOK 143

$13.53 NOK 128

11.97%

Cappuccino

$4.86 NOK 45.98

$4.83 NOK 45.65

0.62%

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

$4.08 NOK 38.62

$5.42 NOK 51.2

-24.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 NOK 30.17

$4.97 NOK 46.94

-35.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.02 NOK 114

$10.21 NOK 96.5

17.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.22 NOK 106

$9.46 NOK 89.5

18.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 NOK 22.63

$2.22 NOK 20.96

7.66%

White Bread (500g)

$4.09 NOK 38.65

$3.30 NOK 31.24

23.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 NOK 34.62

$3.18 NOK 30.10

15.09%

Eggs

$5.03 NOK 47.59

$4.27 NOK 40.36

17.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.46 NOK 127

$11.82 NOK 112

13.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.04 NOK 152

$14.84 NOK 140

8.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.76 NOK 291

$28.32 NOK 268

8.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 NOK 33.04

$3.42 NOK 32.36

2.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 24.84

$2.39 NOK 22.58

10.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 NOK 31.71

$3.43 NOK 32.41

-2.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.16 NOK 48.80

$4.52 NOK 42.77

14.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 NOK 22.97

$2.47 NOK 23.33

-1.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 NOK 25.65

$2.57 NOK 24.30

5.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 NOK 26.95

$2.80 NOK 26.43

1.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 NOK 22.11

$1.83 NOK 17.32

27.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.19 NOK 163

$14.98 NOK 142

14.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.93 NOK 179

$17.98 NOK 170

5.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 NOK 31.67

$3.45 NOK 32.66

-2.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 NOK 41.38

$4.08 NOK 38.56

7.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.31 NOK 40.70

$4.16 NOK 39.34

3.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 NOK 736

$72.2 NOK 683

7.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.04 NOK 95.0

$10.26 NOK 97.0

-2.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 NOK 13.09

$1.44 NOK 13.64

-4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.24 NOK 399

$46.58 NOK 440

-9.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 20.60

$2.09 NOK 19.79

4.31%

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

$36.5K NOK 344.8K

$36.1K NOK 341.6K

0.94%

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

$42.7K NOK 403.5K

$37.9K NOK 358.5K

12.56%

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

$304 NOK 2,870

$243 NOK 2,295

25.09%

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

$31.63 NOK 299

$39.09 NOK 370

-19.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 NOK 539

$55.2 NOK 522

3.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 NOK 546

$49.50 NOK 468

16.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.64 NOK 271

$36.01 NOK 340

-20.47%

Cinema Ticket

$18.01 NOK 170

$16.61 NOK 157

8.43%

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

$274 NOK 2,588

$283 NOK 2,678

-3.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K NOK 137.5K

$10.0K NOK 94.8K

45.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 NOK 1,000

$95.5 NOK 903

10.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.4 NOK 618

$51.4 NOK 486

27.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 NOK 1,172

$106 NOK 1,005

16.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 NOK 1,592

$151 NOK 1,430

11.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 NOK 15.8K

$1,219 NOK 11.5K

37.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,446 NOK 13.7K

$954 NOK 9,015

51.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,749 NOK 26.0K

$1,443 NOK 13.6K

90.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,165 NOK 20.5K

$1,222 NOK 11.6K

77.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.0K NOK 113.6K

$5,966 NOK 56.4K

101.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,295 NOK 69.0K

$4,341 NOK 41.0K

68.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,411 NOK 41.7K

$4,692 NOK 44.4K

-5.99%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tonsberg: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,671 in Oslo and $1,219 in Tonsberg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tonsberg pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $122 in Oslo vs $101 in Tonsberg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $500 vs $455 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 6% 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: $1,671 in Oslo versus $1,219 in Tonsberg. 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 $2,498 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 8% 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.